The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-10-12

dav night in the ball room of the fam
ous Battery Park Hotel in Asheville
when the delegation of representative
body of business men of Western North
Carolina gathered together at ban
onnt to discuss the welfare and future
Of this particular part Of the state.
Flouuence predominated and many
of the States best speakers we're in
readiness for the occasion. Geo. S.
Powell a prominent citizen of Ashe-
vile was POSTMASTER and he presided
we'll President Finley was the first
called upon for speech after one of
the most elaborate banquest of the
season had been served the several
hundred guest.
President Finley.
President Finley of the Southern
railway was then called upon and he
said in part:
MIR. Chairman and Gentlemen:
eve have gathered here this even
ing to consider methods for the great
er development of Western North Car
olina.
''The enterprising people of this re-
gion have already made splendid pro-
gress in this direction. Our task,
therefore, is not tG inaugurate new
movement but to formulate plans for
carrying on most effectively one that
is already going forward with increas-
ing momentum and to give it cur unit
ed support by some organized effort
representing the people of this section.
"Others will doubtless address you
this evening who have more intimate
knowledge of local conditions and who
will be better able to suggest definite
and practical plans for perfecting an
organization for united work and for
carrying on a campaign for diversified
development. l shall devote myself
largely to some general suggestions.
Boosts Fair.
~ believe that the public-spirited
men of this region, who have organ
lied the Western North Carolina fair
which is to be opened in this city to-
morrow, have adopted one of the most
effective methods of promoting the ad-
Vancement of-this region Such fair
serves a two-fold purpose. 1t edu-
Gates your own people and it makes
known to visitors from other parts of
the United States the manifold re-
sources and opportunities of this re-
gion. Many of your visitors from 9TH
er localities, perhaps, have thought of
Western North Carolina, in the past,
only as the splendid resort and resi-
dence locality which it is. Your fair
will teach them that while this is one
of the most delightful regions on earth
for human habitatiOn, it is, at the same
time, one of the best agricultural re-
giOns in the United States and can
offer unsurpassed advantages for a
wide diversity of manufacturing in
dustries.
Development Work.
1T is my opinion that development
work in Western North Carolina will
be most successful if carried out
along the two lines of the education
of your own people as to the best me-
thods of utilizing their opportunities,
and the enlightenment of others as to
the variety and abundance of these op-
portunities.
'YC'u have ample room and ample
opportunities for a much larger popu-
latiOn and for large investments of
capital than can be made by your own
people, and we are chiefly Interested
this evning in how best to organize
and cary en- the work of attracting de-
sirable immigrants and additional cap
1tal. The solution, in single word
is publicity We must let the world
know what we have to offer.
Il have referred to your fair as a
means of accomplishing this object,
but it's effectiveness is necessarily
limited to- the number of people from
other regions. who can be attracted to
it Your principal reliance for public
ity at this time must be upon printers s
ink. This can be used in many ways.
The beautiful scenery of Western
North Carolina affords ample material
for the preparation cf attractive PAM
phlets and folders, but 1 would suggest
that, in publications of this kind that
may be issued, the illustrations should
not be confined exclusively to views of
mountain, sream, and forest, but
should include reproductions of photo
graphs showing some of your splendid
fields of corn and other crops, and
some of your best live stock, and 9TH
ers illustrating Industrial opportuni-
ties. Newspapers and magazine ad-
vertising can be used effectively If the
advertisements are attractfVely writ
ter and are judiciously placed in the
publications read by the largest num-
bers of those classes whom it is de-
sired to reach.
Advertise Opportunities.
"I believe that the desirability OF
advertising the agricultural opportuni-
ties of Western North Carolina in farm
papers may well be given careful con-
sideration.
"I feel sure that the public-spirited
editors CT North Carolina, particularly
those in the Western part of the state.
need ro urging to continue the good
work they have done in the past by
the publication Of news articles and
editorials prcclaiming the advantages
of this region. If, in any case, the cir
culation OF newspaper may be large
1y local, some copies Of every issue 60
into other localities, and, especially
during the tourist season, large num-
bers are read by people who, ALREADY