Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-09-21
THE NATIONS
GREATEST ASSET.
What The Census Figures Show as to The
Development Of The Southland.

That the South is soon to become the
scene of the greatest business and finan-
cial activity is the settled sentiment of
the entire country. The financial cir
cles of the East are practically unani-
nous as to the great prosperity ahead
for the South, and the men who have
led the great colonization enterprises of
the West are now turning to the South
as the field of their future activity.
AS the financial people of the East
and the colonization men of the West
are looking to the South as the coming
center of operations, so the manufact-
urers and the contractors and builders
of the whole country are beginning to
understand that this section affords the
broadcast field for activity in the country,
and the wisest of them are planning
ahead and are everywhere planting
their agencies or their Offices in the
South to gain a foothold in this rapidly
growing territory and to share in its
great prosperity as the years go by.
A salient summing up of the situation
appeared in the Manufacturers Record
and it shows the progress of the past
and foretells the future SO we'll that we
quote it entire:
What marvellous story of vast ex-
pansion in manufactures and in agricult-
ure, of transformation, of increasing
wealth. is being unfolded as from day
to day the census tells in cold statistics
of the capital and products of the indi-
vidual states of this country.
''The 16 Southern states covered by
the work Of the Manufacturers Record
now have more capital invested in man
ufacturing than the whole country had
in 1880.
''In 1880 the total capital invested in
manufacturing in the United States was
81, 790. 900, 900. These 16 States had
2.ss5, 600. 900 manufacturing capital
when the present census figures were
compiled in 1909, and to this several
hundred million have since been added.
This is maryelous change. 1t should
arrest every mans attention.
''In 1880 the United States was Just
ly boasting of its vast industrial inter
ests, of its development in manufactur-
ing and agriculture. and yet these South
ern Statea now have several hundred
million more capital engaged in manu-
featuring operations than the entire
country then had. With such an achieve
ment, despite the hard conditions pre-
vailing until recent years in the develop
ment of the industrial activities of the
South, how limitless are the possibilities
of this section as indicated by what has
already been accomplished.
''In 1900 the value of the mineral pro-
ducts of the South was $13l, 700, 600. In
1909 it was 1927, Al 200, and we have as
yet scarcely begun to scratch the eur
face or even to discover the extent of
the mineral wealth of the South. South
ern prosperity, however, is not found
In manufacturing and mining alone. The
same great expansion is seen on every
hand and in every line of activity.
''The addition of over 81, 900, 600, 900
to the value of the farm properties of
these States attests the progress of ag-
ricuiture. In 1900 the total value of the
farms of the 16 Southern States in
ciuded in this comparison was So, ,233,-
600, 900. In 1909 it was 81, POS. 900, 600.
During the same period the value of
farm buildings, more strongly indica-
tive of increasing prosperity than even
the value of farm lands, rose from 1855,
600, 600 to 1,672, 600, 900, strikingly IL
lustrating the vast activities in the con-
struction of dwellings, and farm build
ings generally during that 10-year Pc
riod. What wonderful change must
have marked the life of the farmers of
these 16 States as Indicated by this in
crease of over $500, 600, 900 in the value
of their farmhouses. What an advance
in their financial strength, in their pow-
er to consume, their power to improve
and to produce was made by the gain of
1000, 900, 600 in the value of their farm
property.
'This advance in fern lands and
buildings finds its explanation in the in
crease in the value of the IL leading
crops of these States, which advanced
from 1915. 900, 900 in 1900 to 81, 977, ,OO0,-
900 in 1909, difference in the value of
one years output of over 81. 900, 600, 900
as compared with the output 10 years
before.
Year after year from 1900 there was
an ever-increasing value of Southern
farm products, the momentum contin-
uing until, as stated, the value in 1909
of these IL leading crops, which, of
course, does not by any means express
the full value of the output OF all South
ern farm products, was 81, 900, ,000, 600
greater than in 1900. This difference of
81, ,000, 900, 900 in the value of these 12
crops in 1909 over 1900 is greater than
the aggregate national banking capital
of the United States at present, and it
is going on from year to year.
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