The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-02
Can the south Sustain Itsslf By Its Own


Resourcss
One of the arguments OF Helpers book
against the practicaoility OF the independence
OF the Southern States is the pove y OF those
States, and the alleged fact that ey do not
produce food in sufficient quantity be self
sustaining; and those who believe the gospel
according to Helper are now putting forward
the same argument, since secession has become
imminent and Sou thern confederacy seems
inevitable. But nothing can be weaker
or more fallacious than such an argu-
ment The Southern States, including Vir'
ginia, Kentucky Georgia Tennessee, NORTH
Carolina and most of South Carolina, are the
finest grain growing countries in the world,
and we're not cotton, tobacco and rice more
profitable, those States might export corn.
wheat and other cereals in large quantities
The slopes of the Alleghanies on both sides
are as fertile and as we'll suited for the produc
ton of breadstuffs Of all kinds as any lands ia
farms, the soil and the climate are alike favor
able, and it is the height of absurdty TO taik OF
the poverty of the Southern States. To SONS
extent at present they cultivate other crops,
which they exchange for food, because they
can do 80 with advantage to themselves; but
throw them on their own resources, and out
them off from Northern and Western supplies,
and they can produce not only enough for
themselves, but compete with the North in ex-
portation, to the serious damage OF its interests
In the interior of the Southern States aluost
every description of food abounds, and is tar
cheaper than in the Northern and Eastern
States. 1t is only a strip of the seaooard that
forms the exception to the rule aud there the
production of cotton and rice amply compensates
for the deficiency of the cereals 1t il only be-
cause the conveyance by sea of food to the South.
ern ports from The North is cheaper than the car
riige by railroad from the interior OF the
Southern States that wheat corn and other
grain are shipped to any extent from the North
In exchange for cotton, tobacco and rice,
But il the policy of non intercourse should pre-
vail the demand at the Southern seaboard
would soon produce the necessary supply from
the interior In the event Of secession aud
separate con'eoeracies, however, the North
would only be too glad to send its surplus food
to the seaports OF the South for ash, for those
productions of the South which the North does
not yield and which are better than gold to
the Northern States To use homely proverh,
the North will not always cut off its nose to
vex it's face as 1t is now doing; and the great
Danger will be that the South will wholly with
draw lite trade and It's exchanges from the North,
and transfer them to England, France and
other European countries.
But after all, it is very small proportion Of
the breadstuffs and other food consumed oy
the Southern seaboard that comes from the
North. For instance, Mobile derives its chief
supplies from New Orleans one of the cheapest
markets in the United States. According to
the most recent quotations, the prices at New
Orleans, Savannah. Charleston and New York
compare thus