New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-11-27
GOOD SENSE.

Tie Macon Telegraph prints n new programme
for the agricultural reconstruction of tie South,
and for Georgia in particular, indicating n
knowledge of the condition of their people and
of the means by which industrial success is To
bc attained, OF the most hopeful character. For
some time those who have been the leaders in
suggesting plans for the settlement of vacant
lands Of the South, and for the prosperity Of
the laboring people, have been proposing mea-
sure after measure, each successfully more lib
eral than the other, rs they were seen more or
less TO partako OF the spirit of Slavery but it
was with reluctance that any plan more favor
able than to give the labcrcr land, rent free.
for n series of years, was entertained The idea
that n landed monopoly must be preserved was
abandoned with the greatest reluctance.
late and one of the most liberal, propositions is
TO donate every alternate tract of 30 acres on
the condition that certain improvements are to
be made but this donation was To be TO whites.
for the leaders do not seem ready to offer this
indncemept To the blacks Still, in connection,
it is we'll remarked that white men will not be
contentcd with the food with which the blacks
have been supposed satisfied, that is, peck of
meal, four pounds of bacon, and pint of mo-
lasses week, and for this reason the idea is
conveyed that the blacks will make the best
laborers, while it is conceded that their health
will be unimpaired. However desirable white
immigration may be, there are grave doubts
whether it will be successful, and it is declared
that "thc true policy of the Cotton South is to
encourage proprietary immigration, to cut up
"our lands, and to people them with small
Farmers who will rear the crops by their own
Labor, aided by that Of their families"
When leaders are willing to progress, they
who are led may hope; and we hope that the
Southern landed proprietors, and all others iu-
tercsted in the development of this country
will become firmly impressed with the idea
that neither nation nor section can rise
unless the abOring people rise also. The truth
IL, the blacks cannot contribute to the general
prosperity unless there il higher aspiration
than diet, however assured aud permanent,
of peek of corn and four pounds of bacon
n week. If whites cannot do it, it is unreason-
able to suppose that the blacks have the
superior ability. The riches of nation
grow from the superlluity of the common
people and to retain the limited diet of
an age of Slavery is to be limited to what
Slavery produces. II may be supposed, and
reasonably, that if proprietorshp in the soil
is granted the desired conditions will follow.
This is true, or it will be true, when new ideas
of what constitutes rural improvement are
taught and accepted A large portion of the
whites themselves have not prepared comfort
able houses, nor the cOnyeniences and adOrn-
ments which characterize advancement. Agri-
culture itself il in n backward state. Defcen-
cics and pcculiariies of the soil require some
new methods Tho age is astir with genuine
and useful progress, and the agricultural de-
partment of the nation has golden and pre-
cious opportunity to disseminate useful and
practical information, which it will seek to do
if it ia aware of its duty and of the wiling
ness of tho whole people that it should do It.
With thc realizing sense now manifested IN
the Southern people of what Is reqnhed to
develop their abundant resources, We are sure
that every one in the land will be wiling that