The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-04-10
OUR MATERIAL PROSPECTS,

As much as we would like to eucour
age the industrial inserea,s Of the country,
by holding out hopes Of a speedy change
for tho Better, we cannot Disguise the fact,
patent to every observer, that our irnme,
diate section, is in n mors'dspIorsbls con.
dition at present. in reference to it's indus
trial interests, than it has ever been be
fore.
When Sherman devastated the couh,
try in the early part of 1895, and his
armies consumed and destroyed vast sup.
plies Of provisions and other pecessaries,
there was still enough gathered from the
debris Of pIundered corn cribs aud. d.smoke
houses. and from sections und.tutbed by
the enemy, to save the people from actual
starvation.
The principal portion Of the stock OF
the country having been Garfield off by
the same destroying agency, the prospect
OF making enough to suhsist upon the
ensuing year was extremely poor bu,
Though the uncommon energy and inr
dustry Of the people, aided by the Con
federate soldiers discharged after the sur
render OF our Armies, and who, to their
everlasting honor. be it said, applied them.
selves to the labors OF the farm with the
same energy and deviation which they
had ssinced in the struggle for indepen
donce, tolsrably abundant provision
crop was made, and tle beginning o, the
year 1865 found us in condition 10
WARRANT expectations oi comparatively
prosperous future.
These hopes, and sn,icipa,ians, how
ever, were soor dispelled by n Power,
other than tha! exercised by "the best
Government !be world ever saw" and at
whose DEGREES it becomes US not to rur.
Insr. The great drought Of last wear
was more destructive of our material in
tsrests than any OF the calamities which
had preceded it, and reduces US to I
condition in which our people must per
ish, but for the aid received ftcm abroad.
Through the sxertions Of few public
spirited citizens, the phiIan,bropists oI the
North and West have been appealed to
in behalf Of the starving poor with grst
flying shccsss. Or. J. F. G. MlrrAa has
given his undivided attention to the sub
jsc', and through his letters and presence
at the North, has aroused .y.n pathv
that promises ts result in suflicisu, mate
rial aid to obviate immediate starvation,
which without such aid. WAS inevitable.
This help, al. we before observed, may
relieve the immediate necessities OF the
destitute. But there is demand for aid
beyond this, which looks to the future
prosperity of the country, and witbou.
which the temporary relief nov afforded
will serve but to prolong the inevitable
day Of famine and pesli'erce
The farmers Of the country are without,
the means to buy corh to feed their stock;
and without horses and MULES, enough
counot be made, even with tee best sea
sons. TO supply the want, Of tbs people
for the ensuing year. Men OF this class,
owning small farm and few stock,
are not tbs objects Of the present bounty,
but they are nevertheless the men upon
whose efforts the future prosperity Of the
country depend. They do not ask any
thing as a gratuty, but for credit to ens
BE them 10 cultivate their farms The
present year. Motives Of public policy,
70 say nothing Of other considerations,
require that such men be aided, and cap.
ita!ists, whether at the. North or South,
would do we'll to give the subject imnfs.
diate attention. Loans to PERSONS OF this
description can be secured by iiensupon
land or crops, and every man who lends
under such circumstances, or gives credit
for supplies, becomes public beAsfsc.or
in Lese times Of iminent distress and
want.
II Northern or Southern capitalists will
advance money in small sums for agri.
cultural purposes, there is hope that
this section may be resnscitaied and made
prosperous once more, despite the negro
suffrage bill and other drawbacks; other.
wise we cannot see how it is possible TO
avert still greater priVations than any we
have yet experienced.