The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-17
The Southwark Swing.

Southern commercial bodies are felici-
tating themselves. and righteously, on
the remarkable showing made by Dixie
in the Annual Review OF Foreign Com
meroe recently issued by the Department
OF Commerce and Labor.
Figures. usually are dull and unlnter-
esting things. but the following are so
significant and impressive that they are
well worthy Of serious study ana
analysis:
Comparing the exports Of 1929 and 1909,
II is found that those from Gulf ports
have increased 10 per cent in the ten
years. The exports from Atlantic ports
increased only II per cent during the
same period. or the seventeen Atlantic
ports showing either large or small in
ereases during the ten years, seven are
Southern ports. The greatest increase in
exports made by any one OF the seven
was Sc S70sS4, at Savannah, Ca, showing
a growth OF more than i'll per cent over
1893. The greatest -proportionate increase
was made by St Johns, Fla. (the district
Of Jacksopville), which showed an in
crease of over zoo per cent. The other
noteworthy increases were Wilmington.
y. c., 10 per cent; Fernandina, Fla. 102
per cent, and Brunswick. Ga. - per cent.
Another matter worthy OF cheerful con-
sideration is that whereas IN 1899 the ex-
ports from the Gulf ports equaled only
p per cent of the exports from Atlantic
ports. in 1903 they equaled Il per cent
THE import figures for the ten years
prove closer touch of Southern ports
with the commerce OF the world; for
while Atlantic ports increased in the
ten years Is per cent, Gulf ports increased
30 per cent.
THE total commerce OF the South At
lantic ports now OVertOp total imports
and exports at Boston or at Philadelphia
The Gulf ports exceed by 800 O0.0 coo the
total imports and exports OF all North
Atlantic ports except New York; the
Gulf imports and exports now equal 80 l-S
per cent OF the total imports and exports
of New York.
In the year 1909 the domestic exports
OF the United States show that cotton,
manufactured, alone represented 25.4S
per cent OF the total; which is more than
two and half times the value of the
next most important export viz. meat
and dairy products"
In the light Of these statistics, 1t is
not at all astonishing that confidence In
the South's future should be so firm and
so universal II these conditions prevail
now. what may We not expect TO happen
in Dixie once the Panama Canal is
opened TO the commerce OF the worldg
Absolute commercial supremacy in the
nation IS no idle dream down that way;
absolute commercial supremacy on earth
may not irrationally peep above the hori-
ron Of Dixie's hopes!
Long before the nation at large came
to appreciate the tremendous things going
on in the South. the South itself had
come TO appreciate them. and had learned
20 govern itself accordingly. As The
Washington Herald has remarked here
tofore, the great factor IN the South's
splendid progress OF late years dwells
within its acquired knowledge Of the i'm
portance OF keeping its wealth at home
TO as great an extent as possible. IT no
longer goes abroad 10 buy the greater
bulk Of its necessities. TO borrow money,
TO get its manufactured products. II has
developed from purely agricultural sec
ton into a mercantile, manufacturing,
banking. life and fire insurance section.
and It is striding forward in seven-ieague
boots now, where once It did nothing
much better than straggle.
The South has every reason 10 congrat-
ulate Itself on the business status as
signed It by the Department OF Com
merce and Labor.