Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-22
s0UTH's OPPORTUNITY,
Time FOR ADVERTISING
An Obscrvant Railroad Man Sees
Great Things for Old Dixie in the
Near Future.
IT'S SYSTEMATIC ADVERTISING
That Will Bring South's Wonderful
Resources to the Attention of the
Whole World-UnShacklc Raft
roads Can Help Turn tho Trick.

J. l.. Edwards. manager Of the aeri-
cultural section OF the United states
railway administration, is Of the oDiu-
ION that the time is near at hand whcn
big things are to TIE attempted in the
south HIS experience and observation
while In the railway service FOR the
government have convinced him that
the possibilities and potcntiaiities OF
tho great South are beyond the most
optimistic dreams OF even its own peo-
pie, and lie thinks now is the time for
the people Of the South to get busy in
The sood work OF letting, all the world
know something about these posstbili-
tiss and potentialittes. In Conclud II :
letter on the subject he says:
Il think that everybody in the South
the sdvantsees We all know about. hut
which the balance OF the world docs not
realize"
Florida Has Set Example,.
The Manufacturers Record comments
Al iens'h on This letter by Mr., "a
understand the resources OF the South.
contends the Record. That section. II
ooints out. has never been as Vigorously
and persistently and as broadly adj
Nsrt!seG as California and other Pacific
coast states.
Florida has been the mos; widely sd-
veritsed State IN the South. and Flor
entirely different way from any other
State. and the widespread interest
throughout all America as 20 the future
Advertising which that State has mad
during the last thirty OF forty years
Florida is getting the cumulative effect
81 all the work Of the las; third OF a
century, and from now ON this Cumu-
latiVe power viii be a tremendous force
N adding TO the prosperity Of the state.
other States in the South should adj
vertisse on a larger scale than Florida
South should advertise their territory
even more vigorously than the Florida
railroads ever advertised that state.
Every section of the South has some
peculiar advantage which !ustHcS
broad advert isinG. some sections should
be advertised for climatic advantages,
some for the beauty of mountain seem
cry, some for coal and iron. some for
diversified agriculture. some for stra-
tegic advantages for world commerce.
There IL not a State in the south that
has not some peculiar advantage which.
Adequately pressed month after month
and year after year upon the word :
attention, would not nc tremendously
benefited thereby.
when the Roads Are Free.
I. the government viii unshack 10
the railroads. and II the owners OF
Southern roads viii have far broader
vision than they have ever had in the
past, and recognize the value Of great
broad intelligent publicity work. thc\
VIII he able to bring about new era
in Southern development surpa ssine
the tcndcst dreams OF the people o.
this section.
with ono or TWO exceptions the rail
roads Of the South never spent one
Lefty work and their agricultural an'
Industrial development as the situation
justified. they had the finest un
developed asset awaiting utilization
and the utilization Of II would hav
enormously expanded their wealth. bu
most OF the railroad officials OF tn
South could never take real broa'
grasp az the power of money backe,
work.
Hettcr Things Hoped for.
II there had been in the South few
men in control o! railroads of til,
OF his stamp. or Of Mark Potter. a.
the Clincntield Line, and a few others
the progress OF the South prio. 10
the war would have been far more
road officials OF The South was never
broad enough 10 fully grasp tho potcn
t!al!tics OF their own section, and how
these poientialitieS could be made
work which wrought the marvcls and
the miracles in wealth creation in
California
4 large proportion Of Southern rail-
road officials seemed TO look upon pub
Lefty Work and industrial and acri-
cultural development a necessary
evil, which must he rrudcingly cared
for. without having any real concep-
'ou o. tho fact that these two factors
could 90 more 70 create business for
them .hsn all - other means which
they adopted fpr..dading freight and
travel traffic
In conclusion, tn. Record says I'VE
hcpt !o- better ;hnss when the rail
roads are once more under the control
Or tner owners, though we freely
adm. that We nave not Vet seen any
evidence aaal the railroad officials
generally. or at least those connected
wiki the RAILROAD Administration nave
srown any broader in their concep.
t!on " the possibilities .: industria
and agricultural development worl
than they were Drior - the time " n.r
tne roads passed under the Contro
Of The government"