The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-12
CHI ES TON.
THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 70, 1860.
The Condition .nd Prospects OF south
Caro1tna.

The interest taken by the Georgia press
in the affairs Of South Carolina is very gra-
tifying to our eopfe; but when we find it
grsvely asserted in the columns Of the Ma.
CON Telegraph that ''all the material inter-
ests of Carolina are more completely par
ally zed than those Of the other cotton States,
and the evidences of recuperation are man
ifesly more slow and uncertain" it be-
comes our duty to say good word in our
own behalf to prove that our case is not SO
desperate as our friends seem to believe.
The condition Of State is fairly indica.
ted by the net money value Of its produce,
| by the healthiness or unheslthiness Of its
trade, and by the encourag'm ant given to
new undertakings and to all movements
which look to the development and utili.s.
tion Of its resources and wealth. Applying
these tests to South Carolina, it is found
that we have NO reason to BE- ashamed Of
the progress we have made, and that the
rapidity and certainty Of our recovery
from the effects Of the late war have not
been excelled in any other State Of the
South.
The money value of the South Carolina
cotton crop Of 1S6s-69 at an average Of
twenty FIVE cents pound, IL about $1S,-
100000. This cotton, with good manage.
ment, can be produced at ten and twelve
osnts. Adding to the cotton crop, our
large srop Of rice, the proceeds Of our
phosphate beds, and Of our fruit and vege-
table trade, it may be safely estim ated that
the net profit on the marketable produc-
tions Of 1868-69 is between $4,000. 900 and
$40 600, 900. This is exclusive Of bread
suHs and meat raised for home oonsump-
tion. The profit on the crops Of rice and
cotton for one year is, therefore, sufficient
to pay off the whole debt Of tue State. The
sescoast hes met with disaster after disas.
ter, but for three years the middle and up.
per- counties have been steadily making
money. Old debts have been cleared of,
and no new ones Of any consequence have
been contracted. When loans Of money
were, wanted they could not be had. This
compelled the general adoption of the cash
system Of doing business, which is now the
rule throughout the State All our mer-
GIANTS agree in ssying that the goods sold
to the country dealers are promptly paid
for; and we know that in the North and
West our. credit is as good as it was in the
palmiest days before the war.
But after paying off old debts there was
still large surplus Of money in the hands
Of the planters aud farmers This was sp.
piled to putting the plantations in working
order, to the purchase of implements and
stock, and to the repairs Of houses and
buildings. The money still rem 'ining
could find no investment. There were no
negroes to be bought, and Of land there
was already more than enough. The greater
part Of the surplus was invested in gold,
and, in every village in the State, tens OF
Thousands of dollars are carefully hidden
from daylight and usefulness. Upon this
point We have made careful inquiries, and
We are convinced that there is more hard
money in South Carolina oday than there
,s1s at any one time before the war. We want
to see this money in aolve circulation, and
it will gradually fow' into the channels Of
trade, But confidence is plant of Glow
growth, and the dangers and the vicissi
tudes CT the past are not easily forgotten.
Passing ,rcm the country districts, which
are practically out Of debt and have more
ready money than they ever had before, we
turn TO toe cities of Columbia and Charles
ton. Iu these cities the sprng trade OF
1869 was better than that of 1868 or 1867,
while there is every reason to expect an
:upususlly good fall trade. Columbia is
gradually rebuilding. Senator Sprsgue
promises to erect mills on the columbia
canal, and the value Of real estate is ad.
ivsnoing steadily, if slowly. Charleston is
rapidly recovering her old business. Geor-
ga and Alabama are sgain supplied by the
Charleston j,bbers and merchants, and.
thanks. to the improvements in our railroad
sysreu, freight Is sent without trsnship-
uent from Charles on to st. Louis, Vicks-
burg and the cities of the Calf. We have
y q let Of swift steamships plying between
this city. and the Northern ports. A line Of
steamships from Charleston to Liverpool di-
rect was established last year, and is OIL
accomplished tapt., In October the frsI
hip Of The season will be loading ut
our wharves for Liverpool, taking aboard
not only the South Caroliu4 staple, but the
epttons of Georgia and Alabama and far
Mississippi. VIVA, other Southern city, e1
cept Baltimore, has established direct trade
with Europe In our sister cities there
was great deal Of talking and writing
Charleston said nothing, but has establish
I'D the Charleston and Liyerpa0l steamship
upe.. s.iul -. iGar. 4, ....' ,..yct
And inregard to railroads ounpaople are
not.idie "A humber of new railroad pro
j crs are already bsfor; the public same
pt. them may injure. Charleston, but al OF
them Will be o, benefit TO the State at largr.
The Big F4,her of R.iirosd--'he B'us