Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-02-26
improving. Condition of the South.


Persons recently returned from the
Southern States report the gradual CROWN
of a healthy prosperity, and degree of
practical hopefulness to which they have
ionp been strangers. These REPRESENT
tions are not universal IN their applica.
ton There are two or three States, and
portions Of others, which have not yet
turned the corner. In these cases the alb
sence of an assured peace represses the
confidence which is essential to systematic
industry, and prevents the efforts which
are elsewhere productive of manifest ad-
vantages.. Generally, however, marked
change for the better has occurred. The
bulk of the people in the reconstructed
States are realizing the reward of labor;
they are fast emerging from poverty and
depression, and are prepared to profit by
the lessons of painful experience. This
is more especially true of the cotton-grOw-
ing districts, the gains of which promise
to far exceed anticipations; but it is mea-
sdrably true, also, in regard to the main
body of the South Even in Virginia,
where uncertainty prevails, things wear a
greatly improved aspect. .
y72The increasing value Of land is one of
the noticeable evidences of improvement.
Ever since the close of the war, Southern
lands have been absolutely valueless The
more a man possessed the poorer he
seemed to be. They were available
neither for sales nor as basis of credit.
A few cents were all that could be OBJ
tanned for choice tracts in Alabama,
Georgia and adjoining States, and even
at these prices buyers were far be-
tween This condition of the land mar
ket exists no longer. A general advance
in value has taken, place. The owners are
better able to keep what they have got
land, besides, buyers are increasing rspidly.
Lands which six months ago might have
been had in large quantities for dollar
= an acre are now held at five, and the pros
'pect is a steady advance toward the real
value, which is as much beyond the pres
ent figures as they are beyond those of a
recent PERIOD South Carolina fully shares
the Benefit Of a change The rapidity and
extent of tour Charleston correspond
ehtwrites q can only be fully appreciated
by those who have had opportunities for
observing and contrasting the present con-
ditiOnx of all classes of Southern people
with their condition twelve months ago.
The real estate operations of Senator
-y-Sprague in the neighberhood of Columbia,
, coupled as they are with ain alleged inten-
Id lion to establish manufactures there, may
be expected to strengthen the upward
tendency. There can be no doubt that the
facilities for the prosecution of, manufac-
turing industry presented by the South are
vastly superior to those of any other por-
7tion of the Union, and it seems probable
that they will soon be turned to account.
MIR. Sprague is not the only Northern cap
Nitalist who comprehends the worth of the
I Hitherto neglected resources of States
(which seem designed by nature to verify
Ssthe combination of "the plow, the loom
8and the anvil" in the sense understood by
B Mr.: Henry G. Carey, without the I'm
@healthy stimulus of legislation on which
he and his school rely. 59
40 The land owners, moreover, are pre-
pairing to- help themselves. They have
learned the importance Of attracting pop
q ulation. Georgia and Virginia have both
witnessed q beginning in direction in
which associated individual effort is more
effective than aught that State machinery
can do, and we look forward to large plans
~ for the introduction of immigrants. A
mistake will be made if reliance be placed
wholly upon foreign labor. The North
I'D waits but for an assurance of honest well
come to send Southwark no inconsidera-
bic proportion of that stream of energy
and wealth bywhich, until n ow, the West
uds dinOsG exclusively prOuIeu. 10 al
tract this,it will not be necessary for the
South to organize as for exertion in, a dis
tant' field. Only let it be seen that the
Southern people really intend to subor-
n dinate politics to material development,
- and that their large land owners are pre-
pared to divide their estates on terms that
would be mutually advantageous, and
IN there will be no further lack Of Northern
=, "a industry or money. That they are doing
!, g, this to q very large extent may no longer
% count the profts.--N Y. Times.