The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-26
KNOW THYSELF"
AND THINE OWN
Need of Accurate Figures With
Facts in Order to Do Good
Boosting.

Walter Sharp. a wide-awake man of
Norfolk. has run up with a difficulty
that the Industrial Section has to con-
front every week in the year and by
way of a beginning of an effort to
set that difficulty overcome he has
written an account of his troubles 10
the Manufactures Record AMI offers
the only solution of the problem.
1t is to be hoped that the Board of
Trade. the Chambers OF Commerce and
the farmers organization and the State
Departments of Agricultural OF Vir-
ginia and the South generally Will set
busy in the good work of getting
and putting In shape the Information.
the facts and figures and In fact all
of the data so much needed by the
newspapers and the boosters in their
work of pushing forward the indus
ual development of tho country.
Here are extracts from Mr.. Sharp's
letter:
"The education of the farmer through
Federal, State and railroad mediums
is fast making Impressive changes in
Southern conditions. Visitations to
conventions. independent tourists and
homeseaking excursions are bringing
to every Southern state ii large mum
Der of Northern and Western pros
pectors and investors. The ever pow
erful agency of the press is daily en-
ploycd 10 make known to the world
the resources. the needs and the capa
bilities of the South. Accumulated in
terest inevitably follows the publica-
ton of accurate compilation of all
factors in each Southen section. The
time has now come to establish
slogan OF know .hysclf'' all over our
broad. fruitful land.
In a recent personal effort to picture
thirteen counties in Virginia and fourteen
direct appeals failed to secure any cons!d
cradle Information to the resources, pro-
duc;ion and costs in any one county.
failed TO find single locality which knew
itself: in fact. there was no compilation OF
any kind. and individual experiences had
to be depended on FOR estimates Even the
bes, efforts OF Southern cities fall far short
OF perfection in the portrayal OF facts but
neither the States nor their raspectivo coun-
ties exert themselves to secure absolutely
correct data.
81 have looked In vain FOR some statistical
statement OF truck shipments from the
various stations along our coastal zone. but
aside from those obtainablc in Tidewater
Virginia and North Carolina. I have found
none. Were the whole complete story O.
truck culture, expansion and production
written 1t would not measure UP to tho great
staple in tho South. but the aggregate would
astound tho world. especially when the
areas cultivated aro compared
ION a recent i.60o-miio ride through four
Southern States witnessed abundant eU-
dences OF progress. Villages converted into
cities by utilizing Natures gifts: farms
transformed from unsiEhtly meadows into
fruitful contributors to mans necessities:
mines pouring forth wealth OF manufac-
turers' requirements, and numerous factories
around which settlements have multiplied.
filcd with indusi rious citizens
should not each State arrange to secure
every Item OF influential data from each
city and county? should hot Mt our
selves TO answer every question regarding
the land. the water. the factories and tho
mines? Ought not every progressive citizon
to Samiliarize himself with tho temperature
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