Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1866-11-27
What the South is to DO.

Boston Post, person may be though
to know better about his own situa
tion and interests than anybody elst
j. can know for him. The people O.
the South cannot be exceptions tt
the truth of SO common an observa
ton. But what makes their case
says the Post, in a sense very
proper one for the thoughtful men Of
other sections to advise upon, is the
fact that it has formed the sole issue
in an excited political canvass in the
North and West for many months
past, and that, in rejecting on the
final result, the South would natu-
rally wish to consult the views Of the
side which has shared in their own
defeat. They would in reason be
glad to hear what those who had
vainly espoused their cause might
have to say.
1t is obvious to us, since the re-
suit of the October and November
elections has become known, that all
that now remains for the people Of
the Southern States to do is to devote
themselves to their local interests.
The soil is left them; they have
their health and strength still; the
earth will yield at least a support,
even if their agricultural implements
are few, and impaired; they have
the stimulus to exertion which their
dependent families give; the war has
relieved them of the support of
class which must now work volun-
tarily with them, at its own cost, or
starve.; and there is almost as much
to be done in repairing the waste
and developing resources hither I'M
touched, as if it were to-day virgin
country. Whichever way they turn,
the people Of the South find enough
to do, with such encouragement for
the energetic and prompt doing of it
as occur to no other population on
the face of the civilized globe.
By thus attending strictly to their
own concerns the South will soonest
become rich and strong again; and |
when that result is reached, they |
may be sure of being counted in |
with as great eagerness as they are
now counted ont. The effect of this |
general suspense over their political |
status in the Union has been both |
to withhold capital and discourage |
immigration from that section,-the
very things they chiefly needed; |
now they see that the true way, and
the only way in fact, is to fall to
with such means and facilities as a
crippled agricultural community may
command, and bring up their condi-
ton to such point as will challenge
the consideration at present denied
them. Cotton will command two
and three times more than it ever did |
in its palmiest days before the war,
for some time to come; and the labor
The Southern planter and farmer is
% employ in making his crop will
not be supported by him as when he
owned it and was entirely response
ole for it, but will have to be salts
led with the simple wages of an I'M
skilled farm hand. IF it is to be
better thus for the black man in the
md, it cannot fail to be better also
or the planter to whom he must look
or hire and regular wages.
The South must make its future ,
or itself. It should not trouble itself
my further about national politics
or the present. Let it bend all its
thoughts and energies to the work of J
cooperation; that will bring the /
est much sooner than if the latter
vas attempted first. What is to re-
tore that section to political impor-
ance, and make those who would
ow tyrannize over it eager to restore
In tbo endowment ri &c fuIl ,,;nbkc |