Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-08-22
OUR FUTURE HOPE.

When we talk about the great natural
resources of Tennessee, we talk about
something which is universally conceded.
In West Tennessee we have cotton planta
tions, equal to any in the South. In the
same section may be found grass and grain
farms, unsurpassed in point of fertility
anywhere. The same is true of Middle
Tennessee. There are portions of that
section which might be justly styled the
very garden spot of the South. We have
taken occasion during two years past to
dwell at length on the numerous advan-
tages of our own beloved East Ten
nessee. Our coal mines, our immense beds
of the best iron ore, our fertile valleys and
our forests of fine timber, constitute an in
exhaustabIe fund of wealth, the extent of
which has never been fully comprehended
by the most sanguine. These things are
not new.
But the question is, what are all these
advantages worth to us, and how are we to
reap their full benefit? We owe an enor-
NOUS public debt-our State is in lam
gushing, half living and half dead condi-
tion-the debt is not being reduced-our
credit is not improving-we are not pay
ing the interest Oh what we justly
owe---we have the most miser-
able system of public highways
imaginable we have no system of COM
mon schools worth the name we are
simply living at poor rate, and our un-
developed wealth for all practical purposes,
is to us almost waste. Now, how is it to
be rendered available? @
What we want is capital to develop these
resources. How are we to obtain this cap
ital We have not got it among ourselves.
Our people are too poor to do it. Then,
we must look out for it elsewhere. We
must hold out inducements for emigra-
ton. Let us profit by the eXampleo of our
thriving Western sisters. What has been
the source of their immense wealth Why,
it is that their cities have sprang up
like magic? The secret is emigration. 1t
is from this and this source alone that we
can expect to attain position consistent
with our opportunity.
Whatare we doing as state toinduce en-
igration? Simply nothing. 1t is true that
we have Commissioners in each of the
Grand Divisions of the State, but what
has been done to aid them in carrying out
the object of their appointment? Not a
dollar has been appropriated to enable
them to compete with such officers in 9TH
er States. They are powerless. All that
has been done has been the result
of private enterprise. The State
says practically, we have all
the population we want. While other
States are advertising their advantages
and straining every nerve to bring popula-
ton and wealth within their borders.
Tennessee remains inactive and dead to
her own interest. A small sum of money
judiciously expended, we are satisfied.
would be capital investment. Instead of
legislating and wrangling over few of
fees, if our law makers were to turn their
whole attention to the development of our
natural wealth, and let the offices take
care of themselves, we would in short
time be on the highway to wealth and
prosperity.
What has the last. two Legislatures of our
State done in this respect? We appeal to
the record for an answer. The first did
nothing except to undo what their