The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-21

with the prosperity which has come
to the South from high prices Of cots
ton and the assurance of continued acsss
tivity based on the truly enormous tfi~S
come from cotton and cotton pro.
ducts this year; with prospertty
equally as great in iron and steel and
coal and coke and the rapid develops
ment OF many diversified mineral In
terests all over the South: with the
ever-swelling movement OF tourist bus
mess which during the winter Il
crowding the train and hotel facilities
OF the entire tourist section from Viz
gfnia to far-away Texas, we have the
foundation for activity and progress
far beyond anything which has ever
before been seen in this country.
Wonderful progress Is ahead OF the
South. Wonderful life and stimuiation.
Will be seen in everything which
makes for material advancement ii
the building of roads and the building
and rebuilding of towns and cities. IN
the erection of municipal buildingN.
such as school and courthouses. III
the establishment of new water works
and sewerage systems, in the enlarge~
ment of existing plants, in the build
Ing of costlier houses, in great hotela
and office buildings. and in the crea-
ton of new industries. These things
will all tend to give a wider prosper
ity and more general employment III
advancing wages than the South has
ever known. Indeed the prosperity
Of this section promises to match any,
thing which any part of the country
has heretofore seen.
The census figures Just issued, shows
ing some of the manufacturing ac-
ttvfttes of the country by States are
interesting as a basis for forecastinR
continued and great growth. AS dis
vided by geographical divisions by
the census, the Southern States show
an increase between 1899 and 1914 In
manufacturing capital of 200 per cent
as compared with gain of IS per
cent In New England. a gain of 127z
per cent in the Middle Atlantic States
or 1877 per cent in the East North Gem
trail section and 146 per cent in tho
West North Central tSates. On the
Pacific Coast and in the mountain SEQ
ton of the far West the percentage
of gain has been larger than else-s
where, although the volume of manu4s
featuring Is as yet so limited that the
total figures are not of special impor.3
lance. The total capital invested In
manufacturing on the entire Pacific
Coast is only about equal to the
amount thus invested by the South
In 1899, and is about a fraction over
one third of the capital thus invested
in the South in 1914. Indeed. the per-
centage of increase In the South would
be very much larger If in this calcula-S
ton the Census Bureau had not
ciassed Missouri with the West instead
OF CHASING 1t with the South. II II
one of the sixteen Southern States
and should be so counted. But even
accepting the Census Departmentsa
geographical divisions. the South. with
its zoo per cent increase, runs far
ahead in the percentage OF gain Of
every other section of the country ex-s
cepting the Pacific Coast and the
mountain States, whose aggregate cap
ital Is less than one-half OF the South'n.
The South is now getting ready to
become one OF the worlds great c0n~S
ters OF industrial and commerciaI
progress and prosperity--From MAn>s
ufacturers Record. @