Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-17
CreatImprOVementNear
Says BabSOn Who Tours
South; Business Talks

ter class of growers are able to deal
with the weevil, but they cannot
handle the job alone. They cannot
make up for the laziness and stupid
ity of the shiftless.
There are several optimistic fac
tors in the outlook. % Excellent
work in research and education is
being accomplished by the United
States Department of Agricultural
experts, supported by the farm jour-
malls and local papers. (2) There is
a tendency toward cooperation, and
one of the by-products of this move
ment should be to raise the general
level of intelligence and energy
among the growers. (3) The con-
tinued development of the southern
textile industry will create an influ-
entail class who are directly interest
ed in improved methods of growing
"a The further progress of diversi-
fed farming and animal husbandry
will tend to shift cotton growing into
stronger hands"
Mr.. Babson is also very enthusiast
tic as to the commercial future of
the South. Norfolk, Wilmington,
Charleston, Savannah, Brunswick,
Jacksonville, Tampa, Pensacola and
portunity almost equalling that Of
New Orleans. if the men of these
cities would only show the faith and
energy of the people of New Orleans.
Those who have confidence in the
future of New Orleans" continues
the statistician. ''as field for busi-
ness expansion, will be interested
in the statistics of commerce for
the fiscal year. 1922. According to
figures compiled by the shipping
board, New Orleans ranks second
only to New York, both in tonnage
entered and tonnage cleared. This
record is particularly gratifying in
view of the great effort which the
city has made to improve its port
facilities.
During the war period, general
business in New Orleans made tre-
mendous strides. OF course, some of
this advance was Cancelled by the
1920-1921 slump; but even at the
worst stage of the rea action, business
was more than double of pre-war
days. The upward trend has not
been resumed and 1 forecast that
during 1923 local business will run
20 per cent or moro over year ago.
The immediate outlook, therefore,
is fairly good; and for the long pull,
I recommend this city to those who
are considering southern locations.
when considering southern sea-
ports, do not overlook Mobile. This
city is on the upward trend. both
for the current cycle and the long
pull. At a recent state election AL
ALBANIA voted a majority of over 49,
900 to lend the states credit up to,
but not exceeding, SO, 100000 for
improvements for the port of Mo-
bile. Galveston, Texas, is also max
ing great stridas. Foreign trade fig
ures show this city to be near the
top.
"A number Of things seen in the
South" concluded Mr.. Babson, ''haVe
attracted my attention. Among
them is the reforestration which
cert1el of the big lumber companies
such as the Great Southern Bumber
Company at Bogalusa, Louisiana, are
undertaking. We have been taught
to believe that numbering is only of
temporary benefit to a section; but
this need not be SO. If these ex-
periments in re-forestation are sue
cessful, lumber and pulp will be per-
manent products of the South. In
the North such re-foresting may be
impracticable commercially, owing
to slow growth, but in the south with
the heavy rains and warm weather
re-foresting may be commercially
profitable. If so, the time may come
when all Of our newspapers may be
printed upon paper made from
southern pulp. A number of expert
ments in other lines are now in pro-
cess which if successful will add
great wealth to the South. The ex-
periments with grapes in Florida,
the possibility Of striking oil in GER
tain states where none has yet been
found are merely illustrations of
the latent wealth of these wonder
full states. Then there is the beauti-
full climate of winter which is not
only a great agricultural asset, but
an industrial and commercial asset
as we'll. Moreover, wages will al
ways be less in the South than in
the North owing to a lower cost Of
living and a lower cost OF doing
business. For the same wage most
people had much rather live and
work in the South. Only higher
wages in the North can keep people
there. The same air and sunshine
which causes the millionaires to seek
southern climes is causing wage
workers and others TO do likewise.
Moreover, 1t is doing no harm to