The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-11
SOUTHS OUTLOOK is
GOOD SAYS MR.. FINLEY
Aggregate Cotton Acreage viii Exceed That Of Last Year
Notwithstanding Increased Production OF Other Crops

WASHINGTON. Il G. May 10
President W. W. Finley. of the South
ern Railway Company, who has re-
Gently returned from an Inspection
trEp, aa which hes WAS aceasnpaFlt
by mem hers of the board Of directors,
in speaking to-day OF business condl-
lions in the Southeastern States. said:
The agricultural outlook through
out the entire Southeastern section
seems TO be very favorable. While III
some localities in tbs southwestern
what retarded cotton planting. and
while replanting VIII be necessary In
some small areas. IL will have to be
done 10 - very much smaller extent
than was Necessary last year. Not
outstanding the increased attention
being given by Southern farmers to
tccrn and other crops, the aggregate
acreage devoted to cotton will be
somewhat greater this year than last
The average preparation of the soil
for planting this year has been un-
usually good. Farmers are using fer
Ulcers more scientifically and better
farming Is being pfactieed very gen
orally throughout the South, which
may be expected TO result in an in
crease in the average Yield per acre.
AS result of their prosperous season
In 1910 southern farmers. to a larger
extent than usual. are able to finance
this years operations themselves with.
out the assistance OF local merchants
and banks.
Conditions IN the cotton manufae-
turing Industry are not wholly favor
able. but, AS the season progresses
more definite ideas as to the size OF
this years cotton crop should bring
about a more favorable relative ad-
lustment OF the prices of the raw ma
terial and the finished products of the
mills The lumber business Is still
feeling the effects Of restricted pur-
chases on the part Of the railways.
but slight improvement is notice
able in some of the lumber producing
localities. The condition of the iron
and stee, industry IN the South is sub
stantially the same as In other parts
of the country. With underlying fin
ancial and agricultural conditions ia
xorahle and with a fair business in
some industrial lines and some pros
pect for Improvement in other lines,
there is a reasonable basis for the ex-
pectation of an active business as the
season progresses.
The management OF the Southern
Railway Company is not unmindtul
~ Law iEihh PtoNtQ uFOn " Wy
the increasing volume of traffic
throuKhanI It's Territory. Il ts,ufher.s.
fore, continuing its policy of improv-
Ing its facilities for the development
Of business and for the movement OF
traffic. 1t mas recently taken steps to
add substantially to It's motive power
for passenger and freight trains and
to Its passenger train equipment. Its
carrying capacity Is comfortably ahead
of Its present requirements. Looking
forward to the progressive develop
ment of its territory, the carrying ca
paeity of those parts of Its lines where
the traffic IL not sufficiently heavy to
require double tracking Is being in
creased by the construction of a mod
ern system OF iap-sidings and these
ap-sidings are being so constructed
that. II business shall become sufh-
GENTLY heavy for double track fines,
they can be used in double track
system. In allyof these matters the
company Is being governed by practi-
cal. and not academic. considerations,
and N pursuancs Of this policy the