Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-09-25

Since the termination of the war more
iron furnaces have been erected, more pig
| iron smeltcd, more bars rolled, more steel
made. more coal mined, more lumber
sawed and hewed, more vessels built upon
our inland waters, more houses construct.
| ed, more manufactures of different kinds
started, more cotton spun and woven,
more petroleum collected, refined and ex.
ported, than in any equal period IN the
history of the country, either before, du-
ring or since the war.
RAILROADS EXTENDING.
Third-We may say that during the war,
or soon after its commencement, the rail
road system of the North was made unit
by the completion of its various conneo-
tions and 1t will never be known how much
this added to our war power, But will
again quote MIR. Wells. He says "Since
the termination of the war over 5000
miles Of new railroad have been CON
structed and opened for use in the United
States, to say nothing of the lines in the
Southern States which have been restored
| and reopcned."
Gentlemen, when you hear us who are
business men complaining of dullness and
stagnation, please refer to the tables of
the comparative receipts of several of the
great railroads which are given week 10y
week in the FfRdRcidl Chronicle, and when
you see how they increase year by year
| although rates are lower, ask who eX.
changes all these commodities on which
| freight is paid, and then consider whether
the use of paper money may not have in.
duced too maay men TO engage in eX.
change, OF to become traders rather than
producers,
AGRICULTURE MORE PRODUCTIVE.
Fourth-The agricultural products OF
the United States have steadily increased,
both in quantity and value, since the ter
mination of the war, and the product of
agriculture increased in quantity all
through the war. We are rapidly restor-
ing the number of animals both horses
and cattle, to their normal proportion. 1t
may be that this year the crop of grain
will be in full proportion to what IL would
have been had there been no unnatural or
forced stimulus to manufactures, by
which labor has been diverted from agri.
culture.
THE SOUTHERN STATES.
Fifth-Let us glance at the condition Of
the South. 1t is alleged that the recon.
struction plan of Congress has been fail
ure. Let us test 1t by economic results.
1t is alleged that the South has been
ground down under q military despotism
that there has been no labor that could be
relied upon, and lastly, that they have no
capital The last allegation we will ad-
init, because we know that Ahe tendency
of Northern capital to the South has been
checked by its insecurity. The crops of
this year are, therefore, free frC m mort
gage, for no one would trust q planter this
last spring.
Now let us see what is the result. II
the South has had neither labor nor capital,
their crops must be the spontaneous pro.
duction of nature, and they have
First-An annual supply of food for the
consumption of the whole population, say
100000 to 100000.
| Second-a crop of cotton which prom.
ises to equal or to exceed that of last year
which has been proved by the investiga'
tion of our Cotton Manufacturers Associ
alton to have been nearly 100000 bales
OF much more than the compilers of the
commercial tables will admit and NOR,
than three.fifths the largest crop eve
raised before.
Third - A crop of rice which tn
Charleston Daily NepS asserts will
prove sufficient to drive all imported ric
out of the home market during the com
ing year.
Fourth - $4,000 to 100000 tierces @
sugar.
Fifth-A crop of tobacco so large as b
make it one Of our main dependencies a
an article to be taxed.
In short, the South has a salable surplu
of the aggregate value of $400,0 900 Il
$500, 100000, and all this, with their har
vest of food, is, If we can trust the evi
dence of their Democratic leaders, tn
spontaneous product of nature. Wha
may not be the result when Gen. Grant
elected, peace assured, labor Iendere,
effective, and capital safe?
THE WAR WORTH ITS COST.
Let me express my profound conviction
that, as q purely economical question
the war will pay for itself since the in
creased production of the Southern States
which will follow the abolition of slavery
will, in the next twenty years, more thai
pay the entire cost of the war by whicl
slavery was ended. The question of tax
alton is, therefore, mere question Of dir
tribution of the burden, and we must Sc
to it that the late rebel States do nc
throw off all the burden and reap, onl
the benefit by allowing them 70 al
the Democratic party in repudiating tn
, debt
Like the Titan Of old, this nation hq
been bound to rock and scathed wit
the lightning Of Jove, but the Prometheu
, is unbound, and to us may be applied th
closing words of that noble poem {
Shelley. In the past years we could hay
said thai it was our fate
> | 4" To suffer woes which hope thinks infinite
To forgive wrongs darker than death or night
To defy power which seems omnipotent: .
T To love and bear: TO hope til hope creates
> From It's own wreck the thing It contemplate
Neither to change, nor falter, nor repent.
This, like thy glory, Titan is to be
Good, great, and joyous, beautiful and free
[ This is alone life, Joy, empire, and victory"