The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-01-10
U A

The business men Of Memphis are alert and vigiant, and
they mean to have a share in the long-neglected trade of South
America, thar has been dominated by Germany for so long. In
a special article in The News Scimitar it was shown that IS per
cent OF this trade was contracted for and signed up by the
Germans, and this was lost as a result of the war, and is now
abandoned and waiting to be salvaged by other nations. Mem
phis, because Of her geographical situation and the enormous
and varied volume OF the products which focus here from the
surrounding territory, should avail herself Of the splendid oppor-
tunity now presented to secure a large part Of that trade, which
will prove profitable both to ourselves and. our h~eighbors to
the south OF us. From tidewater to Memphis the Mississippi
river IS practically an arm of the sea, capable OF carrying mil
lions Of tons OF products to and from the southern republics
We are irving to establish barge lines from here to tidewater
and these lines can be amplified by the construction and installa-
ton Of lines of marine barges that can load at the Memphis
wharf and be delivered anywhere south without breaking bulk
or transferring cargoes from one class of vessels to another.
Returning, these barges can load III south American ports
with freights that are needed throughout this country, and
Memphis can be made the distributing point. We have the rail
roads radlating in all directions, and in exchanging products
with our ~neighbors all will be profhably employed, Memphis
should become a great maritime city, and the home OF factories
and withdrawing industries of all kinds, where the raw mate
rial can be manipulated into the finished product, and sent by
water to our customers. The business men of Memphis are
forward-lookinga and enterprisng and competent to handle propo-
sitions Of any magnitude, Coal and raw iron are accessible to
Memphis, and there is no reason why the wants OF the world
in a measurable part should not be supplied from this ,ccity
Once we have established a coastwise trade with our near neigh
bors we can invade the east over a short highway through inc
Panama canal.
To equip China with railroads as the state of Ohio is
equipped will require, il has been estimated by experts, six
billion tons of steel rails, Add to this locomotives, cars and
other equipment, and in the preparation and production OF these
there will be found work for the present and several coming
generations of men and women, d
China after a sleep OF many centuries, is waking up, and y
ready for internal development, and this development will call
for our products In unreasonable quantities, Tennessee has the
coal and iron, and Memphis can handle the cotton to supply
this vast and virgin country,
After the Flowery Kingdom is supplied, or concurrently
with it, will come Russia seeking development, and her vast
sweeps Of country, eovering'a large part Of the surface OF the
globe, will tax our productive energies for many years to come
The commercial possibilities of the future are really romantic,
but Memphis brains and capital can contribute Iargely to its
realization,
Stuyvesant Fish, when president of the Illinois Central rail
road, had the clarity of vision to see all this, and by leveing
grades, Strengthening curves and double-tracking his road to
tidewater, prepared to handle a large part Of this tremendous
traffic. 1t is the natural outlet for the surplus products Of the
great Mississippi valley. Infinitely better, economically than
hauling them across the continent to deep water on the Atlantic
coast.
The good Lord is the wisest of freight agents. and, without
burning a ton Of coal or turning a wheel, He sends more tons
Of watSr past Memphis and on to the sea every year than all
the railroads in the world could haul If they were double-tracked
and did pothing else, Simple gravity does the business, and
we can learn from nature a valuable lesson and initiate it in
the economies of transportation, The imagination is dazzRd by
a contemplation OF the future, and the part which this country
is destined to play. We have neglected our opportunities too
long, and now that we are awakening to them, the beginning
can be seen, but the end cannot be conectured,
The war has taught the world to look to the United States
and 1t has taught these states what they are capable of doing,
and that they can be d~ependedNon to meet any demand made on
them.