The Washington herald., 1918-04-06
SUTHWEST'S
FUTURE GREAT
War WI Open Country $
Eyes to Regions Wealth,
Holland Says. -.

When E h Hartman was putting
the finishing touches upon the expan-
SION OF the Union Pacific Railroad
system and at the time when he
brought the Southern Pacific into inti-
mate association with the Union Pa
safic, he spoke with enthusiasm of the
Ieture Of that section OF the country
which be called the "Empire-like
Southwest" Earlier c. p. Hunting
ton. who caused the Southern Pacific
10 bisect or flank that empire, spoke
IN what seemed to be unmeasured
terms Of the future relation Of the
southwest to the prosperity OF the
nation But the European war and
our participation in 1t have brought
nome vividly, especially to the people
In the East. what the relation Of the
southwest Is soon to be. and Is certain
10 become after the war Is over, to
American prosperity. For instance.
when Mr.. Hartman spoke and Mr..
Huntington predicted there were no
cotton mills in Texas. Today sixteen
cotton industries OF this kind are in
operation in Texas. thirteen OF which
are on the line Of the Missouri, Kan
sas & Texas Railroad. Undoubtedly
when new investment is secured the
number of cotton manufactures es-
tablished in Texas will be greatly in
creased.
Curiously enough while Texas Is
taking a prominent position as q cot
ton manufacturing State, Oklahoma,
which may become an important cot
ton raiser, has not established a cot
ton mill nor Is there one knitting mill
in Oklahoma and Texas Industries
Of this kind are sure to be established
in the Southwest for the opportunities
for Industrial development. 1t Is be-
Eeved here, were never so great in
the Southwest as at the present time.
r. W. Hockaday, the Industrial COM
missioner. whose headquarters are at
st. Louis, has been for some months
making a thorough investigation of
Industrial and agricultural opportuni-
ties in the Southwest.
His investigation justifies him in
saying that ne has found that in the
southwest there Is an almost mex
haustible supply Of cheap fuel as well
as vast quantities OF raw products
of various kinds which can be con-
veniently and economically utilized in
industry.
Turn to Southwest.
The Federal War Board has been
discoura Eing the establishment of new
industrial enterprises in the territory
north and east Of the Ohio and Missis-
sippi rivers. That action was due to
the reports Of labor shortage, lack of
fuel and the railroad congestion in
the East. For this reason industrial
opportunities are sought in the South
west and capital Is beginning to flow
m that EaRinn 81 faf I'M In,
the East. whereby the establishment
of great industrial plants may be Sc
cured within a short time in the
Southwest.
Opportunities Great.
Senator Robert L Owen, of Okla
hoTna, must have been a lad when +.
Fl. Hartman with prophetic vision
spoke Of the resources and opportuni-
ties which lay in the Southwest and
especially that part Of il whcih. IN the
days when men who are now in youth
of old age were in school, was de-
scriOed in the textbooks as the Great
American Desert. Senator owen, how
ever, has had OF late opportunities
to prove the accuracy Of Mr.. Harri-
mans prediction. He has gone upon
record as saying that there are won
derful opportunities for the hustlers
OF the Southwest country to establish
plants for the manufacture Of war
material which can be furnished to
the government during this world war.
Many things can be manufactured I'm
the Southwest from raw material
which Is found in almost inexhausti-
bic quantities in that section and
plants of that kind can be used TO
advantage and profit after the war in
supplying this country and foreign
countries with products which will be
needed in the reconstruction which
will follow the war Some Of the won-
ders in natural resources, wonderful
at least in amount and quality, of
which Senator Owen speaks are an
unlimited supply of natural gas, very
rich deposits of oil. an enormous sup
ply OF coal. iron in abundance. man
sRnese which is essential in the man.
ufacture Of steel, as we'll as timber.
asphalt and an ideal climate. These
resources should be utilized immedi-
ateIy and II that be done they will be
of great advantage to the country
after the war is ended.
Future Exports.
Senator Owen speaks with gratihca-
tion Of the fact that manufacturers of
broad vision and Of great enterprise Of
st. Louis have already established
plants and are manufacturing war
materials which they are furnishing to
the government. especially caisson
wagons and shells.
The development OF the Southwest,
which Is now in progress upon a very
large scale, will result in providing
our exporters with the peculiar kind Of