Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-07-21
SOU.TH''Si''. OCEAN I FRONT.
Director DAVE Tells of It's Vast Ex-
tent and Superior Advantages.

| Atlanta, Ga., SpeclaE-Nearly lVV
Southern cities were represented
here on Wednesday at the first an
nual convention of the Southern
Commercial Secretaries Assoeia-
tion.
Statistics showing the South's re-
sources were given by G. Grosvenor
Dave of Montgomery, managing di-
rector of the Southern Commercial
congress.
Mr.. Dave took, as his theme the
potential greatness of the Southern
States.
"Viewed from the point of coast
line, it is well to understand that the
Southern States possess an enormous
advantage over the other two-thirds
Of the United States; for the coast
line of the Southern States is 3,OO7
miles, while the,coast line of the
North Atlantic States is 1888 miles;
Of the Pacific coast 1867 miles.
"The natural advantages of coast
line are already asserting their in
tiuence, for we are able to say that
Southern port still holds the Sec
ond position for exports among all
the ports of the United States
New Orleans in 190O-and now
Southern port that nine years ago
was wrecked and rent by storm, the
port of Galveston.
"We are able to show you that the
exports along the gulf now exceed
the exports of Philadelphia and Bos-
ton by 81 per cent, and they equal
more than SO per cent. of the total
which belongs to the overshadowing
port of New York. The tables of
exports for 1900 and 1908 show that
81 per cent. growth in exports has
taken place in New York, Philadel-
phia and Boston regarded together.
During this same time the gulf ex-
ports increased 81 per cent.
Water Power Potential.
s'The vast Appalachian range, the
greatest mountain range in the Unit
ed States, lying within the region Of
plentiful rainfall, is producing at
present embarrassed, every moment
Of every day 100000 horsepower.
The day is coming when, through con-
selvation impulses, this water will be
! used to drive the wheels Of industry
and of transportation throughout
the South, thus indefinitely extend
ing the life of power buried now in
the coal fields of the South.
eff you look at the estimates re-
garding the iron ore life Of the
United States, you will see that the
Southern Appalachian region is ex-
pected to endure 100 years after the
Lake Superior region is stripped and
exhausted. Yet, with all the advan-
tages belonging to the southern ex-
tremity of the Appalachians, advan-
tages so great that Birmingham sets
the price for pig. iron, yet at pres
ent only about 10 per cent. of the
pig iron of the United States is made
in the South. Then look at the size
and energy of Birmingham, the Bir-
mingham district, Chattanooga and
other cities in Tennessee and in AL
ALBANIA dependent upon iron ore, then
/ realize that their marvellous growth
to present dimensions has come
through the creation of merely 10
per cent of the pig iron of the.
United States. Then let your imag-
ination run riot and picture to YOUR
self what will be the development of
those portions Of the country when
instead of 10 per cent. of the pig iron
of the United States and largely Civ
ins that iron its final form.
Favorable Situation.
1.-The Southern States as whole
possess more general accessibility to
coast line, and therefore to the COM
merce of the world, than either Of
the other thirds Of the United States.
A string and pin wheel will enable
you to prove this. You men who
think OH commercial subjects do not
need that I should detail to you the
advantages that rest with portion
Of the country that can by statistical
and governmental proof declare that
it had more coast line, more naviga-
BILE streams, more water power, more
minerals conveniently arranged, more
agricultural range, more forests, more
cheap land, more accessibility to
ports than any third of the Union.
"The meaning Of this summing up
of Southern opportunities is this:
and none but the blind will fail to see
it. That there is to come time in
the history of the United States, as
whole, must have the support and
development of the Southern States.
| 1t means that our nation will never
reach its full greatness. 1t means
this, also, that as sure as the sun
shall r'ze tomorrow there is to come
period of commercial development
in the South compared With which
the past growth has been but the
tottcring footsteps of an infant.
These are not words of boasting or
of bomiast, but they are serious
words, based upon the incontrovert-
;bI, o,.;Jo,oo of the South' s re-