The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-27
NEEDS
CONSCIOUSNESS

"A Mississippi valley c-onseiousness.'
that Is, a common sense Of unity and
loyalty, must be developed by the peo-
pie Of the great valley from the water
shed Of the Appalachian mountains to
thu watershed OF the Rockies and from
the axes to the gulf" said Col. II. f.
Miller, assistant to President II. H..
Merrick, Of the Chicago Association of
Commerce. Col Miller is in Memphis
on a tour OF Mississippi valley towns
aha cities for the purpose of stimulat-
lhE interest IN the Mississippi Valley
assoeiatlo lie conferred while in
Memphis Tuesday morning with Hugh
humphreys, representative of the local
chamber Of Commerce and Viee-presi-
dent Of zone z in the association; W.
y fftshugh, president Of the Chamber
OF Commerce. and others.
During the IL years prior TO the
war that ! was manager OF the Chi
eago association" said Col. Miller, Il
haVe seen many organizations formed
TOR the promotion OF this or that in
terest IN the Mississippi valley, ana
most OF them have died of dry rot.
but IN the Mississippi Valley associa-
ton II seems that we have at last
fopnd an organization In which we may
take just enough selfish interest to
AIeN " = ENNaN aiiu Bblilk VI hdlilE1NlOth
The association Is intended to be rep
resentative of all the Sc, 900, 600 people
In the valley and to grind the ak of
no particular %eoterie, but [, look after
the interests Of all. The association is
promoting foreign trade, Mississippi
proper recognition Of the gulf ports by
the shipping board. One of Its con-
stituent parts will be a 500, 900. 600 cor
poration to finance foreign trade of
the valley through the gulf ports.
THE association" Col. Miller con-
tinued, will be busy all the time to
see that the people OF the Mississippi
ultimately coming TO them. This can't
be done without organization.
The Mississippi valley should ex-
ploit Its resources to the fullest" Col.
Miller said, "for " has the right to
do o The valley, with its vast ex-
tent Of l,725, 900 square miles, embrace
ing 70 entire states and part Of four
others. Is practically self-sustaining In
all things and car wen finance itself"
he said, 1T contains 10 per cent of
he farm acreage in the United States
and produces rs per cent of the wheat,
60 per cent of the b%ituminous coal, II
Per cent af the lumber, 10 per cent Of
the cotton, b5 per cent Of the wool, 80
per cent al the petroleum, % per cent
Of the iron ore, 81 per cent OF the corns
81 per cent OF the hogs, SO per cent
OF the sheep and "A per cent Of the
cattle. The valley contains rs cities Of
a population OF over 100, 900, the second
largest city In America and the fourth
largest In the world. 1t has 1870 cities
Of q population of over $4,000. More
automobiles are made in the valley
than in the remainder OF the country
or any foreign country
Col Miller Is an enthusiastic advo-
cate OF north and south t~ransporta-
ton movements for the valley instead
Of east and west. There. is o stream
to New Orleans" he said. ut Is the
line Of least resistance and the n that
commerce should follow. One great ad-
vantage we have In moving the crops
In tho valley Is that they do not all
have to be hauled at once, but ripen
progressively, south to north"