Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-08
terial. and for tho. distribution Q

manufactured commodities to all parts
of the United States, and we have
direct water transportation. not only
TO all tho oceans of the world. but
also by way of tho Atlantic Ocean aud
Chesapeake Bay TO tho seaconst cities
or the United States. For certain kinds
OF manufacturing We have a supply
OF white labor which has not yet been
fully awaited Of These are reasons
why Virginia should play oven 4 larger
part than she does In the manufacture
ing industries OF tho South.
COTTON MILLS IS VIRGINIA
GOOD CAUSE FOR PRIDE
Chief among these Industries is one
which every Southern man. and. not
least. every NirBinian. should regard
with thrill OF pride. for the fact
.s that supremacy in cotton manu-
featuring in the United States has
passed from the North to the South
Cor several years, Southern mills have
consumed more cotton than those in
all the other States. In the eleven
months ended June 50, 1915, Southern
mills consumed 42l.7i4 more bales than
were used in all the other States. and
consumption in Southern mills in
creased $1,000 bales. while in all other
states 1t decreased l0S,i32 bales
with the Northern limit OF the cot
ton belt within her borders, Virginia
lies In tho direct line from the cotton
helds 10 the domestic and foreign mar
kcts Tor cotton goods. Virginia has u
Hourishing cotton manufacturing in
dustry. which, in 1909, turned out pro-
ducts TO the value OF s7.o33.000, an in
crease In Ave years OF 81 per cent
While this rate of Increase was large
the total volumne Of business done
shows that this State has not yet made
the most of her advantages for cotton
manufacturing. Indeed. by the same
measure. in 1909, the other Southern
~ a Ia tot I.
manufacturing, surpassed Virginia In
the value OF cotton-mili products. viz:
North Carolina, with S12,6SO,O0O: South
Carolina, with S65,?30.0O Georgia. with
siS.0"I 900 and Alabama with s22,-
2I2.2O0.
With the industry IN the parts Of
the United States other than the South.
developing slowly. il at all, and with
the enlarged opportunities in domestic
and foreign markets resulting from the
temporarily weakened competition OF
European manufacturers. conditions
would seem to be most favorable for n
large expansion of the cotton-mill in
dustry III all those parts Of Virginia
and there are several such where there
is available for labor the kind of popu-
lation which Is employed successfully
in the mills of the south The same
conditions arc favorable for hosiery
and knit goods, the output OF which
in Virginia in 1909 amounted TO So
$4,000.
TOBACCO AND IRON
SHOULD DE DEVELOPED
In the same way | might go on and
point out broader opportunities in to-
bacco manufacturing, in all lines of
wood working and in tho long list of
industries which use iron and steel as
their raw materials But / Will not
weary YOU with statistics. 1t Is enough
to call your attention to salient facts
and the logic of these facts which is
that we have demonstrated that we
can, ana SO that we should, do more
than we have ever yet done to develop
the material wealth of Virginia. The
manner OF doing this is no secret. 1t
Is summed up in a few words enter
prise. education, courage, determine
ton TO succeed and all OF these quail
ties spell discomfort with existing con-
dtttons everywhere short OF Heaven
have incidentally referred TO the
importance of transportation in the
development Of manufacturing. 1t is
In fact essential TO civilization and
10 all social progress. The Transport
tation system of our State embraces
our railways. our waterways. our
streets and our country highways.
The latter of these is not of least i'm
TO an audience in the Valley of Nir-
Ginia about the advantages of good
roads.
WHERE VIRGINIA LAGs
IN BUILDING OF ROADS
You have them illustrated in the
Valley Turnpike, one OF the oldest
improved roads in the State, but he
who travels many of the roads in
other parts OF the State and some of
those in the valley will realize that
the people of Virginia should not be
satisfied. but. on the contrary. should
be shamefully dissatisfied with the
record of Virginia, in road improve
ment. Statistics published by the
American Highway Association for
1914 show that. of 1899 miles of
country highways in the State, only
1882 miles, or SIS per cent, were
classed as improved. Virginia is far
behind many of the States in this re-
spect-indeed. even, on the statistics
behind some of the other Southern
States.
Kentucky is credited with 1873 per
cent Of improved roads. Georgia with
14.9 per cent. and Alabama with Ill
per cent, as compared with Virginias
SIS per cent. Massachusetts, leads all
OF the States with 51.2 per cent OF her
total road mileage improved. The
statistics do not however. tell the
whole story. for while there are no
tably good roads in Virginia. it must
be confessed that the average OF the
roads In many parts of the Common
IL !, te l1,,- II,