The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-10
Henry Ford's Plan
Illimitable Possibilities in In
dustrial Development South
Offered in Henry Ford's
Muscle Shoals Proposal
Record.)

tranSnlute the reiatlVely ulllouCileO
natural resources OF the south into
gold of solid achievement. The ere
ative genius Of Thomas Edison un-
derwrites the colossal material as
sets of the other high adventureF.
We are not acquainted with the
minutiae of detail involved in the
Ford over for Muscle Shoals. Mr..
Ford has usually been most liber-
al in his business offers and has
not been inclined to haggle over
few dollars. We are, on the other
hand, most intimately advised as to
the repeated efforts Of more or less
responsible people, some styling
themselves experts, to derlde and
belittle the whole Muscle Shoals
development. The public over and
over again was given to understand
that the appropriations for Muscle
Shoals represented nothing more
than q bold raid on the treasury.
that it never could and never should
be made to amount to anything;
that at best it was but junk and
that the government would be
lucky if it got back any part at all
Of the millions it had expended.
But no sooner did Mr. Ford suggest
that if the property was worthless
to the government it wes worth
great many millions to him, which
he was prepared to pay, than
great cry of protest rose to high
heaven. We believe that it will re-
quire considerably more logic and
considerably better arithmetic
than have yet appeared to convince
the people of the United States
that the government, in any fair
ness whatever. either to itself or to
the taxpayers, can decline the Ford
proposal.
It may be argued with power that
it would be Of advantage to the
whole United States, and not to the
south only, were Mr.. Ford permit
ted to undertake his plans even if
he were not in q position to pay
in cash single penny for the Mus
Gle Shoals property. He is pre-
pared to undertake a development
which is incompatible in its mag
nitude. He plans in niiliens-not
in millions Of dollars but in millions
Of men-work for million men.
He visions an industrial creation
which would appear to be absurd
were it not for the fact that ac-
complishments almost equally
great he has already achieved. #
he is able to get but half Of the
million horsepower he hopes to OBJ
tain and is able, therefore, to give
employment to but half a million
men, still that in itself would be
an achievement to amaze and ed
ucate the world.
Mr.. Ford intimates that as a re-
suit of his operations at Muscle
Shoals he will be able to revolution
ize agriculture in the south. He
foreshadows the upbuilding Of a
variety of manufacturing enter
Drises, including production Of
aluminium on a huge scale, and
promises to upbuild in the environs
Of the power-developlnent an indus
trial area that, if his plans are car
ried out, would quite obviously rival
any similar area in any other place
on, the face Of the earth.
Mr.. Ford intimates that there is
much he can teach the south, to the
south's great benefit. We do not
1oubt it. He has taught the north
and the industry Of the whole
world, many things. His peculiari-
ties are various. His ignorance on
some subjects is astounding. But
in the balance scales his eccentri-
cities are as nothing compared
with the things he is able to
achieve. The world is interested in
his merits, not his dement's.
The future belongs to the south.
It is not remarkable that man of
Mr.. Ford's magnitude has forescen
it. Power is the open sesame in
modern development. White coap
is power. The Southern Power Co.
has just announced that it VIII be-
gin the construction at once OF two
great new water-power plants. in
the Carolinas, one at Great Falls.
| with q maximum capacity Of $4,000
horse power; the other at Mountain
Island on the Cataw5a River, with
maximum capacity of $4,000
horse power, Southern rivers, year
round reservoirs Of perpetual pow
er, are being harnessed up, in in
creasing number and volume. The
example of what has been done,
when accentuated by the enormous
project of Ford at Muscle Shoals,
Will not only induce other develop
ments in all parts Of the south, but
as with the power of vast magnet,
viii draw to the south innumerable
manufacturing plants of all sorts.
The whole south ought to get be-
hind Ny Ford, and Mr.. Edison with
him, and assist to the uttermost to
see that he gets Muscle Shoals.
The investment Will be worth in
comparanly more under private
than under pablic ownership, and
worth incomparably more under
the Ford direction. we believe, than
Under any other direction. While
we believe that Mr.. Ford is funda-
mentally wrong in number Of the
things he does and says, there is
none who can challenge the ac-
tuality of his achievements. "A man
who dreams dreams. he has the