National Republican., 1873-09-24

o"co VI Wnieh we speak, and which was
he direct result Of the influences ongendered .
y the extravagant displays and expenditures
y the slavc-holding classes. Like our newly
civilized Japanese friends, the Southern pco-
pie were suddenly presented with a perfect
Pandora's box, the opening. of which en-.
vcloped them with q delnge Of ev at ttendant
upon indiscreet and exhaustive expenditure.
In this way they pledged In advance the re-
sources OF subsequent years Of labor. They
arc beginning TO recover from those evils |
now, through tho agency OF bankrupt courts,
rs well as from the embarrassmeuts occa. |
stoned by the maturing Of private indebted |
ness incurred during tho days Of prosperity |
before the war and Of adversely while II was
In progress. In doing this they are learning
the lesson Of self-dcpendencc and are accom-
modating themselves to the radical changes
In their surroundings.
They have many lcssons yet TO learn before
they reach the goal Of comfort aud assured
prosperity for which they are striving, not
among the least Of which Is the art Of the
Northern farmers success In the develop
mcnt Of profit from small and comparatively
Insignificant plats of ground They still
skim over the surface In tilling their broad
| acres at the same expense that would be in
CURED by thorough preparation, and bring
but fraction Of the natural 'heart" Of the
soil into use for the termination and nurture
OF their crops, and consequently expend
more, even with cheaper wages for laborers,
than the Northern farmers do, In cultlvating
their land, while their harvests are less boun-
tiful; And there Is a lack Of thoroughness In
many other rcspccts-ln picking, In ginning,
and in other opportunities for the exercise OF
needed economy. Any ono acquainted with
the management Of the average Southern
plantation Is aware Of the fact that
the waste which follows from the
neglect Of economical details Is OF Itself suf-
fcient TO defray one third Of Its expense.
The sound policy Of outstanding minor and
apparently trining resources is taught by the
lesson Of the old adage, Take care OF the
pennies and the pounds will care for them
selves" but II seems to be tho most difficult
to learn. The barronncss Of the soil Of New
England, where the lifsof the pioneer farm.
crs was indeed q life of hardship and priva.
ton, compelled the people Of that section 10
learn this lesson, and they have profted by Il
so successfully that their rock-ribbed farms
have, for generations, blossomcd with the
, fruitful results Of economical and wcil-di.
rected labor. At the same time the soil Of the
! South has retrograded In Its productive ca.
pacity, and with all the natural advantages
r possessed by II failed, for years before the
war, to yield reasonable percentage Of In.
/ tcrcst on the amount of capital invested In It.
, These facts may bc unpleasant and uusavory,
but they commend themselves to the cousid.
all. .h.,a 81, 81
the Southern problem. They show plainly
that success Is only assured to those commu
mites in which the strictcst economies arc
practiced In agriculture as well as In all othei
pursuits.
Another great need Of the South is TO bt
! found In the fact that acllitics for the trans
portation of her products to the markets OF
: the country and the outside world have ncvc,
been nurturcd but, on the contrary, hav,
been grossly neglected. Her statesmen ant
publiclsts, ongtosscd in the consideration o.
fne-spuu theories of governments, OF States
rights, and OF methods Tor the preservation
Of the supremacy Of the slave olgarchy, suf
fercd this most practical interest to deycloI
itself as the necessities Of different localities
forced the people TO adopt measures for thcli
own relief. Trunk lines Of railroads wer,
built for the accommodation Of travel aud
! freight between large cities on the seabo arc
or political centres, but no branches have
ever been constructed for the use Of the
, planters or the smaller towns. The consc.
quence Is that the products of the
interior are transported to the local
markets, at great expense, by wagons,
and days and weeks Of valuable time
often consumed In the tardy realization OF
the profits of each years crop. The North
and West Is to-day actually gridironcd with
intersecting lines of iron rail, affording
ready market, within easy reach Of the farm
Of those sections, so that the farmers ar,
enabled tn sell their grain without delay
. transporting IL in wagons only ten or HftoeI
! miles, instead Of fifty or hundred this, too
q over free roads or turnpikes, on which tn,
! tolls arc restricted by law TO rates within tn
: limits Of moderation.
But the most imperative need Is immigra
Z ton. The sparsencss Of the population o
b the South Is, after all, the great drawback
Thousands and Thousands of acres Of prinl
cval forest, or Of "sccond growth" and o
, Idle land invite settlers from every section
Of the world. Without Immigration II Is use
/ less to think Of further development OF tn
inexhaustible resources which arc known /,
exist In all the Southern States. The idl
lands will remain idle until they arc taken VI
by foreigners, or by natives from othc
sections OF the Union. The market
and places Of consumption will remain US ia
Il from the plantations as they are to-day, unit
the number OF home consumers Is increased
The railroads will confne their routes I,
established and natural lines OF commerc,
until new spirit is infused into the communit,
. and new necessities are developed. To &C
compllsh this, change more radical thar
|, has yet been dreamed Of must occur In III,
political conduct Of these States.
I Gov. FooTE gives In the Chronicle Of
recent date, from Alox. II. Stephens secon,
volume, some interesting facts connected
: with the mission Of Mr. Francis p. Blair L
: Richmond In 1855. This conference, which
followed at Hampton Roads, between Prcsi
dent Lincoln and the Confederate commits
sioners, Mr.. Stephens was told by Mr.. Davii
the nature of Mr.. Blalr's oycrtures and this