Evening star., 1924-11-29
BY ROGER w. BABSON.

Special DiSpGtc! 10 The Star.
WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass, Novem-
Der CA business survey of the en-
tire country shows a golden path of
prosperity stretching from Florida
Iiagoua1y northw est through Ala
oama, Mississippi, Arkansas and into
The wheat wealth of Kansas. This
bright strip Of Improvement is be-
iieNed by many TO fOretell 4 period
If good times. not only for the par
JiCular States mentioned above where
tctivity seems to be appearing first
ut also for practically the entire
south. The other Southern States
viii undoubtedly have their turn
presently: il simply happens that
these four States are in some ways
the FIRST 10 feel a radical revival. We
might fanCifuiiy call them the -Four
Horsemru OF Prosperity
FIorida's Fine Record.
Florida has held up through this
whole era Of national dullncSs with
astonishing Vigor, due. of course, in
part to the influx of people and
poCketbookS. incidentally, Florida s
cotton crop this year is valued at
more than 30 per cent in excess Of
last years crop. Alabama not only
has a cotton crop valued at more than
- pcr cent above last year. but also
ln the iron and steel industry. More
nycr, the development of electric
uowNr iS an uuqueStioned source OF
strength for this State. Mississippi is
tnoth"r State where the cotton crop
~h"Uld show n pronounced gain in
"aiue oV re last year. the increase
probably exceeding 80 per cent. There
are also reports of approaching i'm
DruNcmtnt in the lumber industry.
Larger Cotton Returns.
The. cotton crop in Arkansas should
bsing third more money than
YEAR age. Economic statistics show
hat Arkansas is Displaying great
ttength. There is evidence that the
business indications for this State
make il one of the most favored
"oalities in the country for the
months ahead. Moreover. consulta-
long with leading business men of
the State show that local sentiment
; CXeet dinghy favorable for i'm
''roVcment. 1t is a locality where
business men are facing the future
.sNt only with confidence and cour-
=, hut with Intelligent foresight
taSed uuOn accurate appraisal of
conditions.
Looking further into the future
aud including a larger region than
this Oh" State of Arkansas alone,
Tome observers have pictured this
utirc section as q great industrial
site where there will be uaralleled
'he manufacturing development al
ready witnessed in the Atlantic
States of the South. In other words,
here is the prospect of a mighty
industrial center toward the western
partS Of the South as well as the
further expansion of the eastern zone.
F0ur Big Success Factors.
Economists point to the demon
atrable fact that the South has four
fundamentals of industrial success:
and varied materials, favorable labor
conditions, and access to great and
growing markets. Certainly there is
Il combination of conditions here
which seems to assure the South of
an industrial future rivaling or sur
uasSing many Of the records
achieved in other localities.
Other economists attach consider
able Importance to what is called the
natural trend of trade" 1t has been
advanced as an economic principle
l hat the most powerful and perma-
0ent movement of trade is ultimately
from North to South and from South
TO North, since each region has a nat
ur2l pre-eminencc in the production
of certain products and likewise has
d natural need for the specialties
provided by its neighbor. Hence the
economists argue, trade reaches its
fun and final development in an in