The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-06

an annual expense that may be regarded in
the light of wages When we consider that
this negros children had to be supported
during childhood, and himself in sickness
and old age, and assign an average share
of this expense to the annual account, we
shall make up pretty formidable rate of
annual wages under the old system Now the
loss by emancipation is simply the differ
ence between this sum and the wages actually
paid at present Instead of wiping out four
billions of property cat one fell swoop"
(Which, if we look only at the transferable
value, is perhaps true), the only real loss to
the planter who works his estate, is merely
the annual difference between what he now
paws as wages, and the average annual cost Of
his slaves previous to emancipation. This loss
is more than counterbalanced for the present
(and probably will be for many years to Gomez
by the enhanced price of cotton, the planter
getting as much for one bale as he used to
receive for two or three 1t is probable that
cotton will never sink back to the old rates
The increase in wages will make a permanent
addition to the price, and in that case, emanCi-
patton will entail on the planters Gas a colleC-
tive community no loss whatever, but only
on the consumers of cotton.
Passing to more transient considerations we
still discover reasons why the South ought not
to be despondent under political oppression
The two sad, heavy years which have passed
since the close of the war are not types of the
years that are to follow. The war was not
ended till near the close of the spring months,
when it was too late to begin agricultural
operations for the season with reference to the
change, and everything was in such state of
infringement and prostration that little could
have been done that year anyway. Last year
was also unfortunate, although the negroes
had learned that freedom was not exactly
synonymous with idleness, and had become
partially cured of their freaks of vagranCy.
Drowning rains early in the season, and
whitening drought afterwards, destroyed
the hopes of the husbandman in large por-
tions Of several of the States. Much
of the cotton seed which had been
kept for years, did not germinate; worn-out
implements, which the planters had no means
to replace, were an impediment to cultivation;
and the immense consumption of cattle and
horses by the war left deficiency in draught
animals which had not been supplied. There
is good reason to hope that all these evils will
be escaped this year. Such drowning in spring
and droughts i'll summer are unusual, and not
likely to occur again until after long interval.
The two years which have elapsed since the
war have matured every two-year-old colt
into horse, every growing steer and heifer
into an OK or COW, so that the lack of animals
will be measurably supplied. There is plenty
of fresh cotton seed of last years growth, and
the proceeds of last years crop will enable the
planters to procure needed tools and imple-
ments. The negroes have had an additional
year of training in their new condition, and, it
is to be hoped, have made some progress
towards habits of self-imposed industry. We
think, therefore, that the South will thrive
this year. as business community, as they
have not before since the beginning of the war,
and that every future year will bring addi-
tional prosperity.
If the Northern Republicans were actuated
even by a motive so creditabIe as enlightened
selishness, they would try to advance the
South, instead of ignobly obstructing it. The
prosperity of that section will, in many ways,
increase our own, In proportion to its grow
ing wealth, it will more and more divide with
us the burden of the public debt The eX
pOrtatiOn of its great staple, when revived to
its old dimensions, will be the most convenient
means of redressing our foreign exchanges,
and will enable us to resume specie payments
without danger of drain of gold to Europe.
1t will create in the South the same steady
market for Western agriculture which the
cotton planters enjoy in Europe for their
staple, and thus cut up by the roots one of
the favorite arguments for protective tariff.
If there was ever a time when the South
needed to have consolmg words spoken to her.
it is now, and the only solid grOhnd Of en-
cOuragement which we can discover, is the
bounty which Heaven will bestow regardless
of spiteful politicians.