The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-28

ATLANTA, Ca, Feo. ga new
day IL dawning for Dixie. bringing as.
surances OF permanent prosperity and
completion Of development work now
under way. according to well-informed
men who are close to the agricultural
and Industrial life Of the South
The South is enjoying unprecedent-
ed prosperity, but 1t will not stop
sAogt of permanent prosperity and
complete development Of its varied re.
sources.
With banks filled with money, cas-.
lily obtained at good rates for sound
projects: with industry stabilized !:
with agricultural interests on firm.
err and more diversified basis: with
the number OF unemployed negligible,
+ and with capital and labor at peace,
everybody south Of the Mason. and
Dixon line is working with one object
Ito complete the development Of Dix
leland, thereby insuring lasting pros.
y perity.
Optimism. based on progress made
! within the last few years and on ex-
\ cellent prospects for continuing de-
vsiopment work. prevails throughout
tho South.
The Industrial and agricultural
Southland Of today Is as different
from the South Of few years ago az
experienced men in these lines can
make II.
Considered from a purely monetary
standpoint. the war was worth bill.
lions OF dollars to the Southeast, bust
ness men point out.
Much money was spent locally IN
construction Of war camps and plants:
through acquisition Of government Sc
curities by the people. and through
development Of idle and waste lands.
Agricultural reforms. adopted be-
cause OF war time necessity, probably
will prove to be the most valuable
thing resulting from the war for Dixie
farmers believe.
Appealed to by the government for
increased food production, Southern
planters dropped NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. .
one-crop product-and turned to d.
versified farming. Introduction, too,
OF improved and labor-saving machin.
cry. because Of q shortage In farm Ia.
Dor. was made.
An educational campaign was nee.
essary. but today the movement for
diversified crops IL a success. 1t was
the turning point In the South's de-
velopment. planters and business men
alike agree.
Great credit for the success of this
movement Is given to the county
agents. who have not only shown the
southern farmers how to raise and
produce vegetables, truck crops, field
crops and meat crops. but have been
successful in getting the farmers to
raise such products on a large scale.
Before the war. Dixie annually i'm.
ported about .$600,c00.000 worth of
corn. oats, hay. flour. meat and meat
products. dairy products and canned
goods.
Today the south is very near on
self-supporting basis.
Last year., the IL states comprising
the cotton belt produced 1876 per cent
more wheat than in 1909. These same
states during this period increased
their oats crop 1873 per cent, hay crop
l2S per cent, potatoes III per cent
and sweet potatoes 81 per cent.
Hog and cattle raising has develop.
ed proporti0nately with the increase
In corn and other grain production
New packing houses and stock yards
are eing established throughout the
south.
Blooded hogs and cattle, found to
be more economical in the production
OF meat. are fast replacing scrub an.
finals.
AS an indication Of the increase in
cattle raising in the south, Mississippi
in 1914 marketed only 1929 fat cat.
tie, while last year it shipped 157.237
animals, an increase OF ISL per cent.
Another source Of confidence in the
future is found In the large amount
OF cotton held by Southern planters to
bull" the market. Conservative es-
Inmates place the amount held for
higher prices between 100000 and
100000 bales. Prices ranging from
35 to 40 cents a pound are being de-
manded by owners Of the fleecy
staple.
The naval stores market, held in a
state OF uncertainty because Of can.
collation. of government contracts and
extension Of export restrictions. is ex-
pected to take a sharp upward trend
with the signing OF the peace treaty.
Dixie's pine forests produce more tur-
pentine and rosin than those of the
rest Of the entire world put together.
averaging between SAC, 000, 900 and $50.
100000 annually. This years produc-
ton probably will exceed $4,000, 900,
dealers predict.
Real estate men can see nothing
but good times ahead. A building
wave, second to none in the Souths
history, Is rapidly gaining momentum.
Every city. town and village south of
the Mason and Dixon line has expe-
rienced shortage OF dwelling houses.
Now that government restrictions on
building have been removed, people