The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-04
The SOuth-The Eldorado OF Ameri.
tby Richard II. Edmonds, Editor
can Adventure.
Manufacturers Record.

can Adventure.
Manufacturers Record.)
The sixteen Southern States have ;
population of $4,000, 900. In 1880 tn,
United States had a population of SO,
100000. At that time, and very justl,
so, the United States was regarded a.
one or the greatest and richest ma
tions OF the world. The South of to
day. with a3,0OO.OO0 people, is In
many respects very far ahead OF tn,
United States of 1880, with So,
600, 600.
The people of the South have
S200.OO0.o00 more In individual de-
posits In the banks and trust compa.
MES or this section than the peopl,
OF the United States had in similar in
stitutions in 1880.
The South is mining almost twice
as much coal as the United State:
then mined. 1t Is producing four
times as much petroleum, it's outpu,
last year having been 100, 900, 900 bar.
rels. against $4,000. 900 barrels 70,
the United States in 1880.
The South has 500. 900, 900 more
capital invested in manufacturing
than the United States had in 1880
and the value Of its agricultural out
put exceeds by some hundreds of mil
lions OF dollars the total agricultural
output of the United States in 1880.
The South has far more capital in
vested in cotton manufacturing than
the United States then had, and is
consuming in its own mills about
twice as much cotton as was then con-
sumed in the mills of the country.
The value OF exports from Southern
ports is only q few million dollars less
than the total export trade Of the
United States in 1880.
The South expended last year upon
the maintenance of its public schools
$s0,o00,000. or $4,000. 900 more than
the United States with its $4,000, 900
people expended upon public educa-
tion in 1880.
Comparisons OF this kind showing
how far ahead the South Is in many
respects OF the United States in 1880
coule be given almost without lin it.
These are sufficient to indicate the
general situation. 1t is a little diff
cult for us sometimes to quite grasp
the fact that in bank deposits. in in.
dustrlal pursuits and in agriculture
as we'll as in public education the
South OF today ranks so far ahead
OF the United States i'm 1880. The
total wealth OF tn South of to-
day Is less than that of the United
Sttaes In 1880. because the South has
no. yet had time TO accumulate vast
wealth out OF its achievements In
Industry and agriculture Of recent
years. 1t is, however. rapidly piling
up wealth which, within the next few
years. will amaze the country by its
magnitude.
In studying the future Of the South
and planning for financial and rail-
road operations in connection there
with. II would be well for these facts
to be borne in mind. But these sta
tistics. amazing as they are, are no,
half so interesting for the story they
tell OF what has been done as for the
light they throw upon the future
Every careful student of the material
resources and development OF tn,
South knows that this section, not.
withstanding the progress made. has
scarcely begun its development wher
compared with the growth which will
be seen within the next ten or ffteer
years All that has been done ha.
been really merely the clearing of tn,
land and the sowing Of the seed fol
the great harvest which this scctior
is now preparing TO reap.
The South has only begun to util
ize its raw materials. II has only hor,
and there opened up It's coal mines
its marble and granite Quarries, ant
lts irOn-making resources. II ha.
only commenced within the last few
years 10 get hack to that agriculturo
condition which extends prior 90 tn,
war. when there was "a wcll-roundct
agricultural diversity. Ii is only with
In the last few years that the Contra
South, from Maryland To the Missis
sippi river. has been raising as mucl
corn and live stock as it did in 1860
when the population Of this section
~a- orlv one.third of what ~ now IL