The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-12-15
HAS iNAueuRAT-o IMPORTANT
MOVEMENTS ron BETTER
MENT or AGRICULTURAL
AND INDUSTRIAL CON.
CONDITIONS IN
THE SOUTH
EAST.
4 LEADER in DEVELOPMENT
TEX tbo Southern Railway system 4
Working 10 Aid the People Already
~ the Southeast and to A.
tract Capital and Deslra-
bic Settlers 70 This
Section.

Section.
Much attention has been attracted,
In recent years, to the work which
many 81 the great railroad systems
and q number Of the lesser compa-
MES have been doing IN the line Of
practical development work for the
territories they reach. There Ii lit
tie question that this work has had
an immense influence In the advance
made in nearly all portions Of the
country and In the general prosperity
and growth of the nation People
recognize this fact, and are SO inn
pressed by 1t that many communities
and districts have come to look to
the great transportation companies
which serve them for leadership In
nearly all efforts to develop their re-.
sources. The business Of the rail-
road company Is to handle traffic.
Whatever work Is undertaken outside
of that should operly have a direct
relation u the increase Of the roads
traffic.
1t Is generally known today that
In we'll planned and effective work
to increase the business OF the road
BY adding To the population Of Its dis
tricts and the utilization Of the re-
sources and opportunities OF the va
rious communities it serves, the South
ern Railway system is a leader, while
! ID many lines Of this work II has
been a pioneer. Al resident Of Ore
gon. connected with II of the great
transcontinental lines, who has been
making a study Of the work Of rail
roads In this direction. recently stat
ed that In its development work the
Southern had the best organization In
the country
METHODS OF AIDING FARMERS.
Al recent publication d the United
States Department Of Agriculture said
that the manifestation Of interest by
the transportation companies OF the
country in the betterment Of agricul-
ture HIS recently become SO pro-
nounced and general as to attract the
attention of all who are engaged In
rural development; that this interest
has been shown principally in their
providing and running special trains
for the dissemination Of agricultural
Information among farmers. and In
their appointing agricultural experts
10 position In the management Of the
roads, to- give attention To the devel
ment Of rural communities, and to
the proper handling 81 agricultural
products shipped from distributing
points on their several routes OF rail-
way
III all these directions the Southern
Railway System has been prominent.
Its activity. however, are not confined
to the lines Of agricultural work men.
toned, and In the way Of industrial
and of general development work the
field Dc labor has been very broad.
The activities Of a railroad compa-
ny In promotion and development
work must be based on the special
needs and opportunities OF Its field.
beginning with the organization ri
tic Southern Railway Company this
work has been planned with q view
to The largest and best development
Or both the agricultural and indus
trial resources Of the Southeastern
Strtes.
This has meant a study Of the az
ricuItural, mineral. forest and manu-
featuring resources and opportunities,
the advertising Of them, participation
III Ire work of educating our people
rerardin gthe value OF their farm
lrnds and natural resources and Of
the best utilization of them. and 81
chorta to secure the fullest co-opera
ton 81 an interests Id the sections
advanced.
EXTENT oF THE WORK.
The Southern Railway System
through he various lines, reaches int
and serves nearly All the industrial
and agricultural districts Ok Virginia
the carolinas, Georgia, Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Mississippi Alabama. Georgia
Northern florida ana Southern Ind
p and Southern Illinois. This ii
cludes 4 vast empire, In extent, an,
y IN which nearly ill manner D
conditions, resources. needs and POI
y niIflit{ou or6 <of-4 ~ xs<>nowf,