Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-03-14
RESOURCES
HELD UP To WORLD
IN STRIKING WAY
Commercial Congress Adopts
Series of AffirmationS That
Call Attention to the Won
derfuI Possibilities


periority Of the south, in the various
things in which it excels. based upon
facts and figures, which required months
OF careful compiling and research to
gather. and with a most earnest appeal
that the south shall eventually come into
the magnificent heritage in the CONNER
cial world for which nature endowed, her
was passed by the Southern Commercial
congress at its last session.
The affirmations were not made public
until Saturday afternoon, when they
were promulgated by Director Dave. The
sffirmations are divided into three sec
tons, afirmatiOns. deductions and APP
peals and each one teens with matters
OF the greatest interest for the facts
contained are OF great value even to the
persons who think they know the south
and its resources.
The affirmations In full follow:
The Southern Commercial congress,
being independent of political parties and
without political intent. has. in its third
annual convention. held itself free, as in
the, case OF preceding conventions, from
debatabfe subjects and from the clash
Of opinion which. in the heat of a con-
vention. seldom leads to conversion but
more often to confusion. At this mo-
utive of the nation and distinguished
men from all parts of the United States
the Southern Commercial congress. in
closing its deliberations. departs from
the usual method of preamble and reso-
buttons and contents itself with an ex-
preston of series OF affirmations. COM
corning which IL invites the investiga-
ton ofscandid men throughout the south,
the nation and the world.
COAST LINE.
Affirmation: We affirm that the coast
line and coastal indentations OF the
southern states are more extensive than
those OF either the north Atlantic or the
Pacific While the coast line from Bal
timore to Eastport Is less than 900 miles.
the coast line of the south is over 5000
miles,
Deduction: The possession of this
coast line leads to the conclusion that
when development in the southern
states is commensurate with the case of
access to the commerce OF the world,
possessed by the south, the south must
come to leadership in exports and i'm
ports.
Appeal: We urge our statesmen to take
broad views of this great gift Of coast
line and to consider II in relation to
South America to the Panama canal and
10 the commerce of the world. which 1t
places at our doors. and we further urge
our statesmen to plan for and promote
the restoration Of our merchant marine,
without endeavoring to hinder or to Sc
cure partisan triumph.
We also urge upon our statesmen the
wisdom of making adequate provision
for the development of ports and har-
bors throughout the long coast line OF the
southern states; for every additional
foot OF channel depth given TO various
ports of the south has constantly shown
the close relationship between channel
depth and the commercial importance
that follows it.
GENERAL REMARKS.
In the above summary, divided as IL
is into affirmation. deduction and APP
peals. we have set forth before the
mind OF the world the unvarying bases
of national greatness. A section might
be considered rich in possession of only
one OF two of these great blessings
showered upon the south. The south has
been in possession Of all of these bles-
sings since time began and will be in
possession Of them until time shall end.
Consequently, viewed from the physical
side, the south has an advantage over
the other two-thirds of the United
States. The hindrance has been a lack
OF affirmative understanding of our
people. a lack OF technical OAl
the part of our students and a disin-
clination to labor, with the hands. one
OF the most calamitous after-effects of
the weakening influence of a servile
race. Granting. however. the possession
of these physical resources. it stands
to reason that at once the mind Of the
men C the south can be turned toward
affirmations toward positive assurance
regarding his future and that Of his
son and his sons son. then by reason of
the means at his disposal. the section
that he controls becomes nationally i'm
portant. view either from the stand
point of commerce. Of agriculture or of
manufacturing.
Consequently. the Southern CONNER
cial congress calls upon every mother,
father, and all teachers< whether collie
giate or scholastic. to believe more def
nItely in the positive coming develop
ment OF the south, so that the children
under their care may, from their early
years. take a pride in the development
OF region so blessed and may become
so satisfied with the prospects at home
that they may not weaken the south
by wandering far a@eld for prospects
that look more alluring but have less
enduring bases OF greatness. We re-
gard the boys and girls OF the south as
a more important asset than any of
the great gifts set forth above; for
all the physical advantages OF the south
remain inert and unused as they did
Tin the ages OF savagery unless there
is the mind to turn them into use and
to wrench from the mountains their
treasures.
Therefore. we earnestly appeal to our
statesmen not only to regard common
education as a desideratum, but also TO
place within the hands of our chill
dren the weapons of victory possible
through vocational training and techni-
cal education. We therefore, favor the
multiplication of training schools of ev-
cry Kind within the south. but particu-
larry those THAI prepare boys and girls
to take effective part in the affairs of
life from graduation.
With these few simple statements we
appeal to the world TO sweep out OF fits
mind every lingering misrepresentation
Regarding the south's development, all
men of good intent who, with perfect
proprfety. seek to better their lot in
life by Transforming the opportunities
that Nature sets before them through
causes now historic, a racial struggle
became fastened upon the south. While
therefore, we are DESTROYS Of aid from
strong men and true, in developing the
SOUTH we hereby declare ourselves un-
alterably opposed TO the filling OF the
so-.' BY men~w who have no sense OF
the ideals toward which we are strain
sr~ .nd uhosp standards of behaviOr