The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-30
NEEDS Of THE S0TTH
DISCUSSED BY
FINLEY
PRESIDENT OF SOUTHERN RY.
REVIEWS OPPORTUNITIES AND
ADVANTAGES OF SOUTHEAST

Columbus. Ga, May 80 4 review
OF the advantages and the needs OF
the Souh Was made b, ". W Fin
icy. president of the Southern Rail
"ay IN 4 speech here tonight at the
banquet oi the Board OF Trade OF
Columbus.
Pointing out the natural adlau-
taScs oi the Soulhcas,, Mr.. Finley
said
our section of The United States
enJo!, natural advantages second 10
those OF no other region in the
world
It's climate and soils lit il iur ne
Wlurs \rrsiticalion OF agriculture
and itS wealth OF raw materials and
unsurpassed power resources insure
4 larSc development OF diversified
EIanillartllring. Our cntcrprising
"ld Industrious people have already
made Srcal progress aIonS those
lines III many RESPECTS our pro
attss has been At a more rapld rate
lhan has been attained ia other
iariS ui tn United tSltrs. For cX
ample, the nilrd States a4rirul-
tUral department published a state
!H'iil la.1 tall which showed that. in
the ciet"n Years following 1889, the
~ Alial value OF farm crops reported
On bN the department in the South
EASTERN states OF Virginia, North
'tollna, Georgia. Florida, Alabama.
Mississippi. VI Kenlu,k! and T,nnrs-
-" Increased from $lNa,iSl, 900 To
80 80 900, or 10 per cent. a.
compared with !" per cent for all
ol the other States. The annua,
Value OF the products of manuiar-
turing in these same States in 1880
MAS $, ,l6.S 1000. The census OF
1910 showed an increase 10 $Il,5.
$4,000. or INl.,o per cen, for the
twenty years.
he Southeastern States hay>
made rapid progress during the past
thirty years. II is the prrscn, task
"l all OF us who are Interested i'm
lhla section to gct together and CO.
operate with energy and rnt husiasm
Tor the broadcst possible dcvclop.
m"nl Primarily, We should aim to
bfihs greater prosperity for those al
ready living in our srrtion by inter
tStlh2 them in h., adoption of the
most adv anecd methods oi farming.
10y chtoiraSlng the establishment of
industries. and by aiding in finding
lilarkc,S Tor southeastern products.
secondly, We should All work to-
bclhcr 10 make the rrSoIrcrs and on
l"ftllii'l"S Oi our section better
known throughout the world, TO at
t:ari to each locality the character
o. immigration that may be desired
by the people already living there.
ana by encouraging the investment
oi outside capital
After commenting favorably on
the organized development of agri-
culture in the South. and the or
ganized efforts to improve health
conditions, Mr.. Finley said
We have room in the SoutAea
for all of the industrious, cnterpris-
ing, and otherwise desirable people
who can b. induced TO come among
us. We have hearty welcome for
them and opportunities in abund-
anec for them 10 better their cOndi-
tiOn. One of the most desirable
ways in which our population can
be increased is by keeping our young
men AT home We are constantly
losing certain proportion of our
population TO the West and the
North In the United States. owing
TO the facts that the first settlements
were along the Atlantic seaboard
and that. until recently. there wer"
great tracts of public lands open 10
settlement in tine West. the idea has
been traditional that the West is
the land of opportunity Horace
Greeley did much to popmlarize this
idea by his advice 10 young men To
20 West and grow up with the conn
Try. conditions have radically
changed since Nr Greeley gave his
adyi,... and bclirye that ii the great
editor acre aiiye today h. would
say. Go south. young man, and
grow .ip With the country Our op-
portunities are at least as favorable
- 'hosc in any other part of the
nitrd States. and one of the most
l. -. ~. ..a,a do s-.,