Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-07
S0UTH'S BIG FUTURE
Bright Forecasts by Speakers
at Commercial Congress.
OPPORTUNITIES ARE VARIED
Cotton Is Mainstay of National
Finance, Says Jordon.
KOINER DISCUSSES FARMING
Wonderful Activities Foreseen by
Hays-Immigration, Lumber,
Manufactures.

maUu1aCLuTGS.
Opportunities lying within the grasp Of
Dixie land and a recapitulation of its
vast resources were presented before the
Southern Commercial Congress at its
meeting Today The forenoon session was
devoted TO addresses upon these topics.
That the cotton crop of the south is the
mainstay of all the financial institutions
OF this country, and is in no wise in
declaration of Harvie Jordon. president
of the Southern Cotton Association, who
opened the first session as its chairman.
eff more of the farmers of the south
would redouble their efforts the product
could greatly be increased was the as
sertion of G. w. koiner. commissioner Of
agriculture of Virginia, who made a plea
for increased energy on the part of the
agriculturists Of the south.
big with promise are the opportunities
OF the southland with its genial climate
and equally genial people," was the SEN
timent conveyed to the congress through
a paper prepared by Assistant Secretary
of Agriculture Hays, who unavoidably
was not able to be present. Science and
education combined with the new spirit
of the times" said Mr.. Hays. ''are clear
ing the decks for most wonderful ac-
tivities in the SOUTH
'The south of today. in so far as the
development of its resources is concerned.
is in tie first flush of its YOUTH was
the happy introduction to an address de-
lvered by Hugh McRae of Wilmington,
n. c.
Routine Business and Speeches.
Routine business and speeches occupied
the congress at its meeting this morning
at the New Willard Hotel. Col. Harvie
Jordan Of Atlanta, president of the South
ern Cotton Association, occupied the
chair.
AS WIS the case last night, this morn
| ing's sc ssion showed a decided increase
in attendance over yesterdays session. In
] terest in the work Of the congress is
keen.
President John NJ. Parker of New Or
leans appointed chairmen Of three i'm
portant committees this morning. In the
membership of these committees all the
states participating In the congress will
be represented.
The chairmen appointed were William
Addison Of Virginia, committee on reso-
| lutions; Walter ID. Denegre of New Or
| leans. committee on organization, and A.
G. CaEdler Of Atlanta, committee on
finance. The various state delegations
will choose their own representatives on
these committees.
Tonight the matter of the erection of
building in Washington will be dis
cussed and finally disposed of.
The Cotton Industry.
The cotton industry was the topic of
the brief speech by Col. Jordan.
Mr.. Jordan said that formerly the ne
cessities of the world required the dou-
bling Of the cotton crop every fifteen
years, but that since 1902 cotton produc-
| ton in the south seemed to have reached
stanCstill. He reviewed the history of
cotton production for the past thirty-five
years, and spoke of the future prospects
for the south relative to cotton produc-
ton, Incidentally introducing some sta
tlstics. He added that If half the ratio
held good for the next thirty years the
demand for cotton by the southern mills
would be vastly increased.
Speaking Of neglected agricultural on
portunities Of the south, G. w Keiner
commissioner of agriculture of Virginia
said that farmers of the southern states
are beginning to realize the marvellous
resources of the southern soil, and are
redoubling their efforts in the direction
OF scientific farming.
He said that no section of the globe
onered greater opportunities for invest
ment than the SOUTH and spoke particu-
larly of his own state, of which he had
intimate knowledge as to its resovsle
and possibilities.
Preservation of Timber.
The necessity for preserving timber
lands was explained by R s. Kellogg
assistant forester Of the United States
forest service.
The twelve southern states Of Ala
bama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia. Ken
lucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas
and Virginia have forest area of more
than two hundred million acres. nearly
one-half their entire land surface" said
Mr.. Kellogg. Ihere is now standing In
these forests not less than six hundred
billion board feet of merchantable tim
Der, with stumpage value of at least
two billion dollars.
The influence of the forest resources
OF the south extends far beyond its bor-
ders. North to Canada and from the
Atlantic to the great plains their prod
ucts are in daily use The southern
states supply nearly As per cent of the
lumber consumed in the entire United
States.
THE south has a monopoly Of yellow
pine, that great structural timber the
cut of which alone is one-third that of
the cut Of all kinds of lumber in the
country. 1t has a monopoly of cypress
and tupelO. 1t leads in the production of
oak, of hickory, of red gum and of cot
tOnwood.
Its hickory is the best vehicle wood
ever discovered. Its oak is In demand for
the wine yats of California and OF Eu-
rope. It's longleaf pine yields nine-tenths
of the naval stores Of the world.
Fourteen hundred saw mills are con-
vertlng the southern forests into lumber
and hundreds of other plants are turning
them into veneer and slaves and heading.
Our railroad trains run over rails laid on
scores of millions of ties cut in southern
forests. and much of the freight which
they haul is carried in cars made OF yell
low pine lumber.
1.-The total annual value of the prod
ucts of the southern forests is not less
than $3.50. 100000. OF this total, lumber.
lath and shingles amount to $275.000, 600:
posts, poles. rails, firewood and cross
ties, $125 100000; naval stores, $40, 900, 600.
and cooperage stock, $20.000.O00.
1.-The average cotton crop of the south
for the past ten years has been eleven
and a quarter million bales. with an
average farm value OF $523.OO0.o00, only
16 per cent more than the value of It's
forest products. The average corn crop
during the same period has been 80
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